My Only Wish
by s2.koiishii.s2
Summary: “Hush.Im here now Syaoran.Your very own genie… don’t you want me?You can have me.I’m yours. Take me.” Of all humanly happiness he could possibly wish for,his only true wish was something she could never grant him. Five wishes and shes gone forever.R&R SxS
1. Sakura

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**My Only Wish**

**by: s2.koiishii.s2 **

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**Disclaimer:** I do not own CCS, CLAMP does, all character rights belong to them. If you insist to sue, all your gonna get is the pathetic 5 dollars in my bank account... which is not even enough to get yah a big mac meal at McDonalds -.- Be nice.

**A/N:** I havent written in a while and its kinda weird for me after god knows how many years but i will try my best to keep the story going, to update regularly and all necessities to make yah folks happy buh yeh im usually enganged in other stupid things like school. Hate to admit it but im not really gud at organising my time so we'll see how i go then. Hope you give this story a chance, and i'd appreciate any suggestions, comments, constructive criticism.

Please R & R

xoxo - s2.koiishii.s2

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Getting a hold of a peculiar green bottle, Syaoran didn't expect that he'd suddenly wake up one morning with a girl claiming to be a genie in his arms. She promised to grant him 5 wishes and then she would disappear from his life forever after fulfilling them. But what he had come to realise in the end was, of all the humanly happiness he could possibly wish for, his only true wish was something she could never grant him. Because she simply did not belong in his world, and he did not belong in hers.

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**I summon thee**

**From the world unknown**

**Surging beauty, illusion of a fool**

**One will surge willingly into her reality**

**Happiness caused by her hand, sweet verity**

**Thy call, hear it**

**Thy heart, save it**

**I only ask to thee, extinguish**

**All sorrow, sadness; Erase it**

**This is but my only Wish**

**My Only Wish**

**I summon thee**

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Syaoran Li leisurely awoke from his dreamless stupor, stretching the bleariness away as he moved his numb and aching limbs. Still slightly dazed, he muttered incoherently regarding the odd weight entrapping his other arm from any sort of movement and tried to pull it free but a light pressure held it in place. Cursing audibly, he lifted his free hand to his face and slapped himself lightly, ridding of any hint of sleepiness. Thinking he was somewhat paralysed, he turned his gaze towards his useless arm to inspect any apparent abnormality and _gasped_ as his amber orbs gingerly traced over the perfect, soft-featured face before him. Long, cascading auburn locks spread delicately over his arm, smooth, shiny strands framing a delicate beautiful face adorned with long, permed eyelashes, a pair of gentle-arching eyebrows, plump carnation lips and high, defined cheekbones tainted with a faint blush. 

Unable to comprehend any rational reasoning which crossed his buzzing mind, he instinctively swallowed the growing curiosity threatening to escape his mouth and freed his arm from the soft tangles of her hair. He did not wish to wake the stranger but who was she? Lifting her head ever so gently, he exhaled quietly as he successfully accomplished his task and breathed in the peculiar but soothing aroma of sakura blossoms and sweet berries. He stared at her speechlessly for a long time, inhaling more of her intoxicating scent before pushing himself to his feet and heading to a door nearby which led to an expansive, green-tiled bathroom. After successfully convincing himself that he was being delusional, he did not dare turn back to confirm his suspicions and absent-mindedly got the water running.

Every cold, relentless droplet struck him like a piercing knife, causing chills to crawl down his spine. He stood solid and unmoving underneath these merciless assaults but eventually felt his tensed muscles relax, the soreness being carried away with every gush of flowing water, his troubles and confusion along with it. Sighing contently as he wondered blindly through his tranquil mind, he dried himself and wrapped a towel low around his waist. Finally, after heavily contemplating that it had all been but a dream and he was surely to find his bed empty as it should be, he opened the door casually and _froze_…

His silken, emerald sheets held no woman but thin air. In the pit of his stomach, a sense of relief overwhelmed him but a tinge of disappointment managed to slyly creep into the troubled chambers of his mind. Cold showers had always been his antidote to quiet his thoughts but for the first time in his life, it swiftly wore away along with the colour of his face. He could sense that something was amiss; he felt unknown eyes on him.

He walked to his drawer and fished out a decent combination of a fitting white shirt and denim pants and clothed himself. Turning around, he headed towards the full-length mirror situated in the corner of his room and combed his unruly, chocolate mane. The moment he was satisfied with how it looked, although there wasn't much he could really do with it, he stepped back to check his appearance and brushed a ball of frizz that got caught in the sleeve of his shirt. Eyeing his attire for the last time to be certain, his eyes suddenly locked unto an unfamiliar lustrous red fabric reflected unto the mirror. It was resting innocently upon the green lounge he had in his room, placed on the opposite corner with tall, black lampshades on each of its side. His gaze impulsively returned in level with the reflection of his face on the mirror and he nearly choked with surprise and horror.

The red material momentarily hovered in the air as if it had invisible strings sewn to it and cloaked the person underneath it who instantly began to approach him from the lounge until he felt a solid, warm body firmly pressed against his back. He then felt hot, moist breath tickling the back of his neck and playful fingers drawing circles on his sides. Engulfed in confusion and in the state of shock, he decided that he was crazier that he had given himself credit for.

The familiar odour of cherry blossoms and sweet berries teased his nostrils as he watched the hood of the cloak fall slowly from the stranger's head and an unexpected mop of silken auburn hair bobbed animatedly behind his shoulder. He was evidently two heads taller than her. Struggling through the bizarre silence that possessed his room, his ears strained to hear every soft muffle of deluging fabric which matched every meek movement she made.

"You can at least say something," she said playfully, her mirth apparent in her bright emerald eyes, "Hi! My name's Sakura!"

Her bubbly nature took him by surprise and all he heard himself say was a simple "Who?"

"Say it with me, SA-KU-RA" she giggled and spun around like an awestruck child lost in a carnival, "I can't believe it took THIS long for me to be freed! I get fanatical even thinking about it."

Raising a brow, Syaoran still held a questioning expression on his face, "I don't think you realise what's happening here SA-KU-RA. You're trespassing in my room and in my house. How did you get in here?" He eyed her suspiciously and turned around from the mirror to face her, "Or are you one of Meiling's friends? Her room is three doors down to the left." Meiling Rei was his cousin who stayed with him and his family so she could finish her studies in Japan. Syaoran thought that she must have had one of her girly sleeping parties again; a lot of her friends tend to get lost in the maze of the Li mansion, a few occasionally stumble into his room.

"No, no I don't think you understand Syaoran," she said thoughtfully, a finger on her chin, "I'm actually here for serious business and I will be staying awhile with you if you don't mind. I haven't got anywhere to go and it's not as if I can just wander off freely without you."

"What in hell are you talking about?" he replied gruffly thinking that Meiling had put her up into doing this, "It was nice to meet you and all Sakura but the door is just right there." He pointed sternly and placed his wallet in his back pocket.

The smile on her face did not falter as she started fiddling with the pink brooch which held the thick, heavy red fabric around her form until it fell gracefully to the floor, "Awww, you're no fun!"

Syaoran's eyes widened as he witnessed the cloak slide to her ankles, revealing her toned, smooth and petite body barely covered by mere black and red pieces of fabric. Her top which could barely be distinguished as a shirt of any sort resembled a tight red corset with black lace over it. It was short, as it came very high to her torso and on its front were two black intertwining strings like shoelaces, squeezing her breasts to emphasise the sensual outline of her cleavage. Travelling down, past her flat stomach, gleaming black diamonds encircled her navel, matching the black choker around her slender neck. She wore very short tight black shorts which nestled very low on her hips and a pair of high red stilettos to complete the look. She appeared like she had come from a very expensive and sophisticated escort service; a strange mist of elegance clung naturally to her figure.

Massaging his temples, a groan of frustration escaped his lips after he overcame his state of disbelief, "A mistake on my behalf then… from the looks of things Meiling isn't the one to blame."

"Do you like it?" she asked naively with a sweet pout, "I know I should have chosen the green outfit out of the bunch but this kind of stood out, sorry. I should have known that your favourite colour's green."

"ERIOL! That idiotic, pathetic excuse for a cousin!" he exclaimed angrily, keeping his eyes away from the beauty before him, "I should have known."

"Oh come on! I don't think it's that bad!"

"I'm going to kill that asshole," he muttered to himself, momentarily forgetting about Sakura, "I told him to mind his own damn business!" It was bad enough that he had started receiving these erotic emails of pornographic content in his email, more than a dozen a day, filling his box to the brim. At first he thought it was a mistake or some sick joke but when they started coming everyday with complementary subject titles ranging from every sexual profanity in existence, he later learnt that _someone_ had mischievously subscribed him to every possible porn mailing list on the internet. He had told Eriol to unsubscribe him after he eventually admitted that he was at fault but it seemed that he hadn't come around to doing so. Syaoran had stopped himself from erupting in irritation at the time as he knew that Eriol, his cousin and best friend only wanted to cheer him up since he was still in the dumps after his break-up with Haruna but he didn't perceive that Eriol would go to this far.

"Syaoran, look at me!"

"Sorry but I'm not interested in the services you offer," He said to her calmly, processing the fact that it wasn't her fault that she was there, "As I said before, the door is just right there, don't worry, you can go."

"I can't leave Syaoran even if I wanted to," she replied quietly and then smiled brightly at him, "I can't because I'm kind of stuck to you…whether you like it or not."

"What do you mean?"

"If I go more than a few metres away from you, it's going to hurt," she said, bringing her hand over her heart, "like hell I've been told but I'm not really sure. Anyway, can you just sign the contract and we'll get the party started"

"What contract?" he said distantly as he thought of one hundred and million ways to make Eriol miserable.

"Hey, can you just listen to me for a bit?" she asked sweetly, her voice resonating in his ears, "Don't space out on me!" She walked to him and shook him by the shoulders.

He quickly snapped out of his reverie and consciously realised the heated small gap between them, her protruding breasts a centimetre away from his own chest. He couldn't remember her approaching him but he quickly retreated back, gaining more decent space from her, "Alright! I'm listening, what contract?"

A knock suddenly sounded from the door as both Sakura and Syaoran whipped their heads to the jingling door knob. "Master Syaoran? Your mother wants to see you." A voice called out, most likely a maid, "She's waiting in the garden outside."

"Tell her I'll be right down," he called back and focused his eyes back to Sakura, "As I was saying, what contract? I really have to go."

"This." she answered gleefully as she raised both her hands in front of her and made strong, swift hand gestures in the air, "hei-mash-la-o-sar-pur-pa-wah." Three distinct popping sounds echoed throughout the room as an exquisite emerald bottle appeared amidst her long delicate fingers, a white ribbon was tied around its lean neck, holding a crème-coloured card that smelt of mint. A spark of recognition flashed through Syaoran's eyes, he was too stunned to speak but illogical ideas spurted in his mind. For some perplexing reason, deep inside him he knew who this girl was although every realistic and sensible nerve in him objected to the idea. Could it really be?

"That's the bottle I bought in the antique shop yesterday afternoon," he mused loudly, finding his circumstance too eerie to find the right words to express his confusion and bewilderment, "but there's no way…. NO WAY." He had only purchased it as he didn't intend to seem rude to the shop keeper who eyed him sceptically behind the mahogany counter in the antique shop. It was pouring heavily outside and he had no where else to go while he was waiting for Eriol to pick him up so he went inside and paced impatiently along the narrow long aisles of old furniture and trinkets. He thought it was only right that he should buy something at least and luckily he found a particular green bottle that caught his interest.

"Sorry I don't really remember anything before my summoning," she said, poised elegantly on the lounge she had been before, "I just woke up and here I am!"

"Do you mean to say that you really came from that bottle?"

"Yeah, I guess so… I mean where else would have I come from?" A seductive smile abruptly touched her lips, her innocence somehow dissolving into thin air, "Now to the contract." She let a lone finger into the mouth of the green bottle and pulled out a rolled up brown paper.

"You must be kidding me?" he gasped, still unable to believe what he was hearing. Who would have thought that the mint smelling card he had read yesterday out of curiosity was some kind of summoning spell?

"I kid you not Syaoran…. Not at all," she replied pushing a pink feathered pen and the parchment unto his open hands, "Now sign it."

"Master Syaoran? Your mother is asking what is taking you so long?" the maid called out again from the door, knocking gently on the wooden barricade, "She insists that you come down now."

"I'll be right down!" he answered, focusing his gaze to the door, "I have to go Sakura."

Her arms ebbed their way around his neck, locking him in place. She had her body firmly pressed against his firm chest, her lips close to his ear, "Hush. I'm here now Syaoran. Your very own genie… don't you want me? You can have me. I'm yours. Take me. Sign it."

He couldn't move an inch, his feet were glued to the floor by some force and his mind was swirling with her alluring smell. Without much resistance, he watched as his right hand held the feather pen and signed the brown paper, he felt himself trapped in a trance.

What was it that his father always reminded him?

_That's right, he told Syaoran again and again_

_Again and again_

_Over and Over_

That he shouldn't sign any contract unless he had thoroughly read and understood the risks, terms and conditions within any given contract.

But it was too late… the parchment popped into smoke the moment he finished signing it…

What was going to happen now?

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A/N: was that okay? The genie idea just popped into my head and thought i'd write it somehow. Tell me what you think! 

till the next installment of MY ONLY WSIH

xoxo- s2.koiishii.s2


	2. Bound to You

**My Only Wish**

**by: s2.koiishii.s2**

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A/N: hey! thank you to everyone who reviewed they made me so happy ! i hope all you guys are alright and that you continue to support this story. pft i cant be bothered to post up the disclaimer but you all know the drill. Im kinda getting paranoid, I don't know if the direction im going for this story is okay so tell me what you think: comment, criticize, suggest, anything would be greatly appreciated. ...And um all you guys are girls right? i dont have to worry abt ne guy complaining to me abt the stuff in here? hahaha just read and you'll find out why? 

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END OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER...

He couldn't move an inch, his feet were glued to the floor by some force and his mind was swirling with her alluring smell. Without much resistance, he watched as his right hand held the feather pen and signed the brown paper, he felt himself trapped in a trance.

What was it that his father always reminded him?

That's right, he told Syaoran again and again

Again and again

Over and Over

That he shouldn't sign any contract unless he had thoroughly read and understood the risks, terms and conditions within any contract.

But it was too late… the parchment popped into smoke the moment he finished signing it…

What was going to happen now?

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**MY ONLY WISH : CHAPTER TWO : BOUND TO YOU**

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Rummaging through his closet, Syaoran found a small decent shirt which didn't fit him anymore and tossed it to Sakura who eyed it warily, "What's this?"

"It's a shirt to cover you up," he replied, rolling his eyes, "I can't really have you wandering around in _those_." He pointed deprecatingly at her clothes and shrugged, "People tend to think things…"

She poked the green shirt he had given her with a pout, "Err... Do you have anything else?"

"That's the smallest shirt I have. Meiling's clothes would probably fit you but I'm not going to ask her or take something of hers, she'll know something's up. I'm not going to risk it."

"But don't you even slightly think that this, THIS," she emphasised, waving the shirt above her head in irritation, "Is worth even the slightest risk?"

He gave her a hard, penetrating glare and nodded as she shrunk underneath his cold eyes, "Hurry up, I'll drive you to my place in the city and you can stay there, I can't have you prancing around in here. I can't even begin to express how crazy my mother would be if she sees you in our house and worse, in my room."

"It's not as if we're doing anything wrong…" she replied lightly, struggling to find the arm holes in the shirt, "And mind you, this isn't as simple as it looks either." The molested shirt accidentally slipped from her grasp and settled by her red stilettos, making her sigh in frustration. Sakura carefully bent down to retrieve it, her slow descent causing her shorts to hitch up higher than Syaoran could take.

"Stop right there!" he suddenly commanded, making Sakura jump in surprise, "let me." He walked up to her and picked it up himself, his eyes firmly glued to the floor, "Can you just wear it with no fuss? Please?" Begging wasn't a notion he favoured but this was an emergency… he was like any male human being after all, self-control was harder to grasp when one was on the brink of losing it.

"Alright, if the master insists upon it…" Her face stretched into a pleasant a smile and behind those emerald orbs emerged a peculiar fire, flames she held cautiously and secretly - as she did not intend to burn him JUST YET. They appeared as discreetly as they vanished, leaving Syaoran to tread blindly and fall effortlessly into her plans.

"By the way, I need you to buy me some stuff from the shops, it's kind of an emergency." She said, pulling the shirt over her head and freeing her hair from it, "I wore your stupid shirt, the least you can do is take me out."

"Wait, are you forgetting the fact that I'm suppose to be the one saying what I want here?" he asked glumly, feeling the more miserable as he watched her twinkle with happiness, "And cut out all that master crap. It's Syaoran."

"As you wish then, Syaoran."

"Hmp." He was thoroughly glad the shirt nearly fell past her knees; she now come across half decent but the length made her look like she was wearing nothing but the shirt.

"Everything's just peachy! Now we need to go to the shops or a grocery store."

"What the hell for?" he demanded, he didn't like the fact that their conversation seemed to drag on without much point, he wanted her to explain their situation and how messed up his life would be with the new arrangement. She didn't seem the least interested and continued to complain about 'the cursed thing' coming tomorrow.

"What cursed thing?" A pang of fear suddenly settled itself in his mind, ideas of supernatural terrors flashed before his eyes, "I mean, you being here and all just prove that anything's possible, not that I'm implying that I don't want you here…" Truthfully, he was still in the state of disbelief, not one part of him considered that Sakura was a genie or capable of granting him wishes. He hated being burdened by things useless to him and although her presence intrigued him, he wasn't sure how to make out of it.

She nodded understandingly, her face held no sign of happiness, "Don't worry," she then smiled reassuringly, "It's nothing of THAT sort… but it may be worse—for you that is…"

"If that's suppose to make me feel better, sorry but that didn't do jack."

"Tsk, I don't think your mother would appreciate it very much if she hears you talk like that," she shook her head disapprovingly and grabbed his hand, "Let's go."

Syaoran looked at her and laughed, "Fine, fine, but were not going anywhere with you looking like that." Sakura returned his gaze and frowned unhappily, "How much worse can you possibly make this for me?"

He threw a pair of jeans to her face and smirked, "A lot worse."

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The smirk didn't leave his face until they reached the grocery store. Beside him, Sakura looked like a hobo, Syaoran's clothes were too big for her and she had nearly tripped countless times. She wore his black leather belt to keep the jeans steady on her hips and his big, rubber slippers, tumbling once in awhile whenever she stepped on her own feet.

"This is not funny." She said menacingly, "A disgrace!"

"Since you dragged me all the way here, you must as well amuse me right? Were even." He retorted as a hint of anger and uneasiness blended with his firm voice, "Just hurry and get what you need. I want to get out of her as soon as possible."

"What's the rush?" she asked, tugging at her belt to pull it up, "I want to look in every aisle but?" The moment they entered through the automatic sliding doors of the grocery store, Sakura had noticed how Syaoran seemed so restless. While heading to the cart and basket area, he examined every check out counter fretfully as Sakura realised that he was trying to avoid someone. At this point she was insistent to find out who it was as she motioned for him to fetch a trolley.

"Don't you think the cart's too big? I'll carry your stuff for you." He said shrugging off the trolley idea, "Let's go inside."

"Can I get those cute red baskets instead then?" she pleaded pointing to the heap and pouting innocently, "Please?"

"Okay whatever but I'm not carrying that thing for you."

Walking through the aisles wasn't as bad as Syaoran thought it would be, although he still found it odd that he was in a grocery store. The last time he was in such a place was when he was five when he became so attached to one of the maids and ordered her to take him with her to buy some milk and bread. He could remember how happy he was; fascinated by every colourful box and bottles they had passed by and wanting to take them all home. Since then, he hadn't been near a grocery store, his education and training became too demanding that it hindered him from wandering off to do something as petty as grocery shopping, he was the heir to the Li business and fortune after all.

They passed by the freezers, the cold air somewhat calming him and easing his worries. He glanced up and watched Sakura as she struggled to walk in front of him, her trousers slipping every now and then. The basket she held was already full of packets of chocolates and sweets; he could only wonder what she planned to do with them.

"Do you want anything Syaoran?" she asked, disturbing him from his train of thoughts, "you've been looking at those cheese and dips for awhile now."

His gaze met her and his smirk returned, "Nice of you to ask Sakura, I thought you've forgotten that I was here and that I'm paying for that stuff you're getting."

"Don't start with that, at least I asked right? So you want anything?"

"Yeah, I feel like ice cream."

"Didn't think you were an ice-cream kind of person…"

"Well, I am. But I'm picky about the flavour and the brand."

"Thought as much," she said as they turned a corner and she searched through the fogged up glass doors, "So what flavour?"

"I don't think they'll have it here though, the brand I want," he stated dryly, "It's the expensive stuff."

"Riiiight… well try another brand then you spoilt brat, what flavour?" Syaoran vaguely scowled at her, unimpressed that she had called him a brat but could care less.

_It's not as if I'm the one acting like one… _

"Triple rocky road with hazelnut and macadamia – which I bet wont be in here."

She squinted through the freezers, her eyes searching through every tub and hoping she could prove him wrong, "Yeah, I don't think they have it."

"Hmp."

"Shut up, I'll pick you another one then. I don't care if you don't like it, you've got to eat it. I mean, even try it okay? We'll eat it together." She tugged at a door and opened it, reaching in for a purple tub of cookies and cream ice cream. Unfortunately, the one she wanted was placed deep within the shelf and she had to lean in, almost half her body was swallowed by the freezer and she stood on tiptoes, reaching as much as she could. Syaoran was facing the other way, looking through other things that he didn't notice Sakura trip into the freezer and hit her head on one of the middle frozen shelves.

"Damnit!" she cursed as everything began to spin and her head fell unto the same middle shelf, the weight of her head causing it to plunge unto the lower shelves. Tubs of ice cream and packets of frozen goods collapsed unto every glass door, creating a series of crashes and causing a few of the glasses to crack from the impact. "Oopsie!"

"Sakura!" He called out, running up to her and pulling her out of the freezer, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah… I think so." She replied dizzily, wobbling against him, "Sorry, I didn't mean to."

"Expect you to bury yourself in a freezer!" he laughed and supported her body with his left arm and took the basket with his other hand, "Let's go."

"Wait, I want my damn ice cream damnit!" she hollered, trying to scamper to the open freezer but Syaoran held her in place, "I got to have it! I got to eat it!"

He sighed and reached for it himself, piling in unto her basket and heading to the register.

"Evil evil ice cream! Bad bad ice cream! I'm going to eat you… you watch!" he heard her whisper again and again, making him shake his head in amusement. After a few more steps, she was finally able to stand on her own but she still wobbled a bit so Syaoran held her hand to steady her.

"Wait, I still have to get something. The reason I came here was for it." She said and squeezed his hand and dragged him to the next aisle. To Syaoran's dismay he found himself being pulled to the 'hygiene' area, they passed by brand after brand of soap and shampoo.

_Hell what is this cursed thing? _

Finally, Sakura dropped his arm and she stood in front of an over looming shelf full of feminine sanitary pads! She was too busy looking for the packaging that looked _pretty _that she missed Syaoran's look of horror. Impulsive dread came over him as he looked from side to side to see if anyone was there in the same aisle as them and he slowly walked to the section of shaving creams. Surely, he had grown up with 4 older sisters, he knew about the "monthly" thing but it still freaked him out.

"Syaoran? Which one do you think I should get?" Sakura suddenly asked, deep in concentration, "Come here, which one's nicer? The pink or the purple one?"

"How am I suppose to know?" he said, his face a bright red, "Just pick one and let's get out of here."

"Aww! But the purple one has butterflies on it!"

"Then get the purple ones."

"But the pink ones have nice, cute flowers in them!"

"Then get the pink ones woman!"

"But the purple ones have----"

Syaoran trudged near her and grabbed her hand, taking both the pink packet and the purple packet. He then shoved them in her arms and hauled her to the paying counters with the basket of chocolates and ice cream swinging on his other hand. The moment they got out of the daunting aisle, they nearly bumped unto rushing employees heading to the freezer area. It seemed that they had just found out - Syaoran heard one of them yelling something about an earthquake of frozen foods.

There were long queues in every counter and this irritated Syaoran. He had never, even once in his life, ever had to wait for service – he was used to fast, reliable servants coming to him with the mere click of his fingers.

"Syaoran, I've got a headache," Sakura complained, thrusting the napkin packets unto him, "Can you just hold these for awhile?"

"No, not really." He answered trying to give it back to her, "They're not even that heavy Sakura."

She giggled and looked up at him, "I know but seriously my head hurts."

He snatched them from her arms and cursed to himself, he could never turn down a request from a woman – his mother taught him that much. "Fine, now just try to keep standing okay? We've got to wait in line. I think we need a doctor to check that head of yours."

"Why?" she asked, mildly insulted, thinking he was suggesting that she was crazy, "I'm okay."

"No you're not, apart from your mental problems, there's a bump on your forehead and it's starting to bruise. I mean you DID destroy a whole row of freezers!"

"Great! This day just can't get any better!" she mumbled, ignorant of the looks people were giving them, now that they know that they were responsible for the damages.

"Look over there Syaoran, the line for the express lane is quite bearable." She pointed out and pushed him to the other side of the grocery to line up there, "Hurry your ass up before more people line up."

Syaoran grunted in response and sighed in relief as they finally reached the counter. He poured out the contents of their basket and called Sakura to stand near him and not skip around.

"Good morning, sir! Welcome to Watashi's Grocery. How are you?" a sweet voice greeted him from behind the counter, a tone he _knew too well_. He looked up and he was suddenly drowning into pools of dark cerulean eyes.

"Haruna…" he whispered as he stood face to face with his ex-girlfriend. Syaoran could only stare as he took in her somewhat matured face, her smooth, straight dark hair tied up in a high pony-tail.

"Syao--- Li," she smiled pleasantly although there was a trace of surprise and coldness in her voice, "Didn't expect you to be the kind to wander around grocery stores."

"I'm not." He said and continued to look at her, thinking to himself how he would just prefer physical torture than to stand there, his emotional anguish eating him up. His face remained still and stagnant, revealing no feeling or reaction.

Haruna was already accustomed to this; she was used to his cold exterior, his unfriendly and charismatic aura commanding fear and respect and the way he had held unto her when they had been together, as if she was a small fragile piece of ceramic, handled tenderly with his calloused hands. They had been happy for quite awhile, she had stayed with him for more than a year and everyone thought they were bound to get married sooner or later. But some things just couldn't be helped, her life was sailing to a different direction to his and she had feared the extent of his devotion to her. She felt that he had loved her far too much, too much than she could handle.

"How's everything going?" she asked amiably, taking each item and sliding them through the scanner, "Your mother? Meiling? And Eriol?"

"Good." He focused his eyes unto a spot behind her head as she took the purple and pink packets and placed them into a plastic bag.

"She's very pretty." Haruna remarked, implying Sakura, "Haven't seen her around Tomoeda before."

Syaoran followed her gaze and settled unto Sakura's crouched form, she was playing with a young toddler in a stroller and the baby's mother seemed to be very fond of her.

"Yeah. She just arrived a few days ago from China," he lied and called Sakura over, "She wanted to see how the grocery store looked like here in Japan."

Sakura's head jerked up as she heard Syaoran call her name, she stood up and muttered a friendly goodbye to the baby and his mother and walked over to Syaoran's side. Before she could even reach him, she sensed the odd atmosphere radiating from both Syaoran and the register girl. Sakura met the girl's gaze square on, beginning to dislike how she looked at her with such hostility and resentment. She slid purposely into Syaoran's warm arms and smiled kindly at the girl, a hint of triumph visible on her face.

"Friend of yours Syaoran?" Sakura asked, tugging lovingly on his shirt, "Hi, I'm Sakura."

Haruna smiled in return, "Haruna, nice to meet you. That'll be $46.95 thanks." She aimed her attention back to Syaoran and waited for him to take out some cash from his wallet, trying to ignore Sakura's shameless show of affection. To Sakura's relief, Syaoran didn't move away or remove his arm around her; he paid Haruna and took the plastic bag from her.

"Thanks!" Sakura tutted and lead the quiet Syaoran out the register, entwining her fingers with his, "Nice to meet you too. See you!" It felt like dragging a ton of rocks to Sakura, Syaoran's steps were hesitant and heavy but his face remained blank. Once they were out of the grocery store and heading for his car, he disentangled himself from Sakura and swiftly got into his sleek, black convertible Porsche, grunting in dismay. Sakura frowned and got into the passenger seat beside him, feeling frustrated.

"I'm guessing she's the one you didn't want to see."

"Not. Now." He snapped, starting the car and reversing hastily from the parking lot, "Just be quiet until we get to my penthouse."

Sakura looked out the window indignantly, "No."

"What do you mean no?" he asked angrily, "What part of NOT NOW don't you get?"

"Don't pick a fight with me Syaoran, not today of all days!" she yelled, her voice overpowering his, "Your not the one suffering PMS here alright!"

He stared intently on the road ahead, concentrating on driving and ignoring Sakura completely. She took a deep breath and calmed herself, throwing him an annoyed look.

"It seems that this is the perfect opportunity for me to tell you everything you need to know, better this way since it looks like you intend to ignore me. I guess this will be an advantage for me that you're not going to cut me off with questions so sit there and shut up, take this all in as it's really important." She ordered and returned to her usual self, speaking evenly and making herself comfortable. He didn't say anything and she took this as a yes; she contemplated over the fact that if he had said something moronic, she would have accidentally transported him to the North Pole in the means of magic and leave him there to _freeze over and die_.

"The contract you signed contained more than 500 terms and conditions to follow but there's only a few that you really need to know. I'll tell you the other minor ones if an occasion calls for it or if there's a predicted breach in the rules within the contract before you break them.

First of all, as your genie, I am obligated to grant you 5 wishes, only five. You can't wish for more wishes, once granted, these wishes are irreversible and permanent. There is an interval of 2 months for every wish made; you have to answer to every deadline and wish for something before the next interval begins. You are more than welcome to wish way earlier than these deadlines, in fact, it'll be easier that way.

Secondly, the truth of my existence must only be known to you. To put it lightly, those who get involved when they're not suppose to be are taken care of by the severe laws in my world. I am also held responsible for what I share with you; I am not allowed to tell you about the world in which I have come from.

Thirdly, your wishes cannot relate to me in any way. Our relationship must stay conventional and professional, you wish and I grant, that's all there is to it. Anything other than that is punishable by death.

As I exist only to grant you your wishes, as my master, you are bound by contract to care for my well-being. I cannot go any further than 10 metres from you or I'll start to disappear after a period of time, you see, being my master, you are the only being that connects me to your world, let's say you're my life-line in other words. Being too far away from you will be like breaking our connection and it may very well cause my life and yours. Why is your life at risk you ask? It's because the very moment you had finished signing that contract, part of your life have been given to me so I can exist to grant you your wishes. You know what they say? You can never always take and fully receive until you give…

After fulfilling my duties as your genie, my existence will eventually blur until I cease to exist and you will be the only one who will be able to remember me and your wishes will last you for life."

Sakura didn't realise that she had been staring unto the glove compartment in front of her and that they weren't moving anymore. Syaoran had long stopped the car, half way through her speech and he was now just looking down at her.

"What happens then?" he asked curiously as he absorbed every detail she had just recited and tightening his grasp on the steering wheel that his hands had turned white.

"Then its just best to forget…Don't worry it wont be too hard, just erase all of it and live your life."

"I better just turn this car around then, now that I know I cant live you in my pent house in the city." He announced to the still air that surrounded them and both travelled in silence as there was nothing else to say.

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A/N: so what do you think? til next time then,

xoxox... s2.koiishi.s2


	3. Breathless

**MY ONLY WISH**

**by: s2.koiishii.s2**

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything but this storyline, some lame made-up characters and the chewed gum underneath my desk. I do not make money out of this haha although i wish I could.

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**Summary:**

Getting a hold of a peculiar green bottle, Syaoran didn't expect that he'd suddenly wake up one morning with a girl claiming to be a genie in his arms. She promised to grant him 5 wishes and then she would disappear from his life forever after fulfilling them. But what he had come to realise in the end was, of all the humanly happiness he could possibly wish for, his only true wish was something she could never grant him. Because she simply did not belong in his world, and he did not belong in hers.

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**PREVIOUS**

"After fulfilling my duties as your genie, my existence will eventually blur until I cease to exist and you will be the only one who will be able to remember me and your wishes will last you for life."

Sakura didn't realise that she had been staring unto the glove compartment in front of her and that they weren't moving anymore. Syaoran had long stopped the car, half way through her speech and he was now just looking down at her.

"What happens then?" he asked curiously as he absorbed every detail she had just recited and tightening his grasp on the steering wheel that his hands had turned white.

"Then its just best to forget…Don't worry it wont be too hard, just erase all of it and live your life."

"I better just turn this car around then, now that I know I can't leave you in my pent house in the city." He announced to the still air that surrounded them and both travelled in silence as there was nothing else to say.

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**My only Wish: Chapter 3 - Breathless**

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Although the drive home was long and quiet, Sakura didn't seem to mind – inside, she was burning with enthusiasm and everything she perceived in this new world glazed her heart with happiness. Her eyes moved along the outline of the buildings, trees, people and the sky, absorbing their movement and colour, smiling at their simple beauty. She knew that her time in Syaoran's world was limited and this made her determined to live each day to the fullest, making everyone she would be fortunate to meet happy. Stealing a quick glance at Syaoran's grim form, she stifled a giggle as he was so serious with driving that his face somehow resembled the still and sharp exterior of his car,

_And I will live to make you happiest of all… Because you are the one who has freed me and given me the chance to see all this._

She gallingly pulled on the seat belt restraining her of movement and focused her gaze back to the scenery outside, the bubbling feeling returning as she witnessed a street vendor holding hundreds of colourful balloons over his head, some contoured in odd shapes and sizes.

"You're still quite hooked with that check-out chick aren't you?" Sakura finally spoke, breaking the silence between them but her gaze remained outside, "Judging from how she eyed me so unpleasantly, I'm guessing you two had some history together."

Syaoran looked at her intently, "I don't see how it's any of your business."

Sakura returned the look but with a displeased pout, "Would you like me to do you a favour and remove that stick so shoved up in your ass?"

"Don't distract me right now. Can't you see I'm driving?"

"Can't you play nice?" she smiled at him and batted her long eyelashes, "Be **_nice _**for once in your life."

"I _was_ being nice until you decided to forget that I'm here and purposely ignored my questions." He stated dully, changing gears as they joined a busy road, "Now you request me to be _nice_."

"What questions?" she asked innocently, feigning hurt that he would suggest such a thing, "I didn't hear you ask anything."

"The ones I was asking you before you finally decided to say something."

She grinned and raised her left hand to brush off the matter, motioning for him to forget, "I've actually got selective hearing, I can mute your voice whenever I want." He glared at her as if to say, "You _didn't_… you _wouldn't_ dare."

"I did," she replied lightly with a beaming smile, "And I can do it _again_."

Syaoran almost growled but kept his temper at bay, counting slowly in his head to regain his calm state and directing his concentration back on the road ahead, completely ignoring her. Sakura giggled and clicked her fingers, morphing the numbers he was counting into large, savoury chunks of swivelling steak. He gasped in surprise and shook his head to rid of the sudden invasion of dancing meat before his eyes and swerved the car to avoid driving off the road.

"I'm getting hungry, aren't you?" she inquired, laughing sweetly as her stomach sounded its complaint, "I haven't eaten since last night."

"Don't do that! You're going to get us killed!" he yelled and sighed, he felt like he was dealing with a child, "You didn't tell me you can go through my mind?"

"It's in the contract. It will help me perfect your wishes if I can see exactly what you want. Trust me, its necessary."

"I can just tell you what I want and how I want it." He coldly retaliated, not at all too happy of the fact that he couldn't even have his own thoughts to himself now.

"Believe me, I think I would know, words can't always describe precision and feeling. Forget it, hurry up and take me somewhere to eat."

"I'm not taking you anywhere unless you give me your word that you're not going to go through my mind unless I'm actually wishing for something then," he said callously, "Or this thing is over."

"This is not a good time to bargain darling," she said sweetly, her voice coated with unexpected venom, "A starving genie who is suffering from p.m.s is not one to mess with, take my word on that." She smiled at him and tapped her long, perfect fingers on her knees, "I'll try not to make it a habit, don't expect any more than that from me. Besides it's not as if its sunshine and lollipops in your head, so I'm not at all too keen to go there too often. Now feed me."

He glared at her.

"Please?" she tutted, making her eyes all teary and glossy as she looked up at him.

Sighing loudly, he turned the car in the next corner towards a long street filled with expansive, classy restaurants, "What do you feel like?" It took everything in him to keep his hands on the steering wheel and refrain himself from throwing her out of the car.

"Steak!" she exclaimed happily, "I am so craving for that."

"Why did I even bother to ask?" he commented dryly, parking the car in front of a wide, pale green building, its garden blooming with a mass arrangement of different kinds of flowers and plants. Sakura looked at him suggestively and patted his hand which was on the steering wheel, "Are you sure you don't want me to take the stick out Syaoran?"

Syraoran looked at her questioningly, not sure of what she meant, "I thought so." He heard her say before both of them got out of the car and he watched her skip along the pathway leading to the entrance of the restaurant.

"Hurry up Syaoran! The food is calling!" she called out in a sing-song voive, "Hurry!"

"God help me."

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At the door, they were welcomed by a friendly old man who bowed so low, Sakura thought he would go all the way to the floor. She noticed how the man smiled to Syaoran in recognition, respect and surprise as he held the door open for them to come through. Sakura was so utterly amazed that she had stars in her eyes, the restaurant was so grand and exquisite, every inch of the floor was covered by the thick, plush black carpet and there were white marble pillars reaching high up to the crème ceiling. Syaoran patted the old man on the shoulder and smiled at him sincerely, making Sakura wonder who the man was to create such a reaction from Syaoran. She couldn't remember ever seeing him smile like that since they met… in fact, he always had a blank or frustrated expression on his face (sometimes worsened by her).

"It's been a while Wei," Syaoran said, his eyes scanning through the restaurant, "Been too long."

"Yes it has, Young Sir," the old man chuckled and held his arm out to usher them to a table, "I didn't even recognise you sir."

"But you look like exactly how I remember you Wei and everything else."

"Ah, but I grow a strand of white hair a day trying to run this place."

Sakura was half-listening to their conversation as she giggled and she looked at Wei's balding head, "They say that every white strand makes you wiser so you shouldn't worry."

Wei winked at Sakura warmly and led them inside the restaurant, "Yes, I have heard miss but it is only but a saying to make fools feel better."

"Perhaps." Sakura replied merrily, "Or perhaps not."

"I'm glad the business is going well then," Syaoran said and turned his attention to Sakura, "This is Wei Sakura, he runs this restaurant for me."

Wei nodded in response and smiled at the young lady in front of him who was dressed in clothes a few sizes too big for her. He already took a liking to her, she reminded him of his own vibrant grand daughter who visited him a couple of times a year. Sakura returned his gaze with a charming grin and twirled on the spot, "Do you really own this place Syaoran? It's amazing!"

Wei frowned but with a trace of amusement in his wrinkled eyes "Oh my, your sudden visit almost made me forget but the restaurant is actually closed for today. Your mother, the madam, called last week and arranged for an inspection. All the chefs and kitchen helpers are off-duty for today. I'm the only one here. I'm sorry but there's no one who can cook for you."

"She didn't tell me that she was going to do such a thing. Do you know what the inspection is for?" Syaoran asked suspiciously and felt persistent pulling on his sleeve, "What time is she coming?"

Wei shook his head, hesitation present in his voice, "I have no clue, sir and she did not say what time either."

Syaoran would have easily caught the uneasiness in Wei's voice if he weren't too busy brushing Sakura's paws off his sleeves, "Quit tugging."

"If I heard correctly, he said there's no cook, meaning there's no food. Come on and let's go somewhere else then," she pleaded, pulling him back where they came from, "let's go."

"A favour Wei?" Syaoran requested, unmoving from where he was and ignoring Sakura, "Can you prepare the kitchen for me?"

"That I can do." Wei replied and disappeared behind a door, "Won't be too long."

Sakura scowled as Syaoran followed the old man through the door, it seemed that they were staying and she wasn't going to be able to eat. "Syaoran!" she called out after him, her voice resonating throughout the empty restaurant, "you better have something else in mind than wood to feed me!" She eyed the dazzling antique tables and chairs before going through the door herself, thinking that perhaps she could just raid the fridge in the kitchen. _There's bound to be something to eat in there…_

The door led her to an enormous white room furnished with sophisticated aluminium kitchen furniture. There were rows of shiny pots and pans hanging off a long rack in the corner, the stove had several, shining hot plates and beside it was a huge silver oven. The floor was made up of large polished black tiles and the windows were draped with soft, fluttering green curtains. Sakura scrutinised every detail with bubbling excitement, everything seemed to hold a dear thought to it, as if someone had poured their heart and soul into creating the place. She raised a brow in surprise and curiosity as she found Syaoran in the midst of it all, he had a black apron low around his waist, tightening his shirt around his torso and emphasising his broad shoulders. Sakura tried to prevent the apparent blush from her cheeks as her gaze met his, she could only wonder how he could look so masculine and manly with a pan in his hand.

"Did you say steak Sakura?" he asked, his voice somewhat changed from how she remembered he sounded last, "We've got to hurry though, I don't want my mother to see me here."

"A—yeah," she managed to answer, salvaging her lost composure, "I do doubt your culinary skills if you wanted to know, don't go around burning the kitchen because that'll be a shame."

Syaoran smirked at her remark and answered quite darkly, his voice escaping his lips in a rather low and husky tone, "I haven't done this in a while but it'll come back to me once I start."

Sakura gingerly turned away, brushing off the unnerving feeling tingling beneath her skin, cursing to herself for being so unguarded. It had been foolish of her to ask him if he knew what he was doing, Sakura found herself thinking later, as she observed him flip the meat and add all sorts of sauce and vegetables expertly with a straight, sincere face. Sitting on a stool she found by the door, she stared in awe and struggled to stay sane as the savoury aroma enveloped her senses and awakened her rampaging hunger. She eagerly waited, tapping her feet impatiently.

"It's most unusual but reassuring to witness the young sir cook again." Sakura almost jumped off her chair in surprise but relaxed as she realised that it was only Wei.

"He seems like a whole new person, if I had known that all he needed was a pan to keep him in a good mood, I would have tied a couple on him." Sakura said flatly, "Now I know. Have you got a rope and some spare pots?"

Wei chuckled and replied, "I believe we do."

Syaoran looked up from the stove and noticed the purple bruise on Sakura's forehead as he tried to overhear their conversation, "Wei, can you get the first aid for me?"

"What for?" Sakura asked, completely forgetting about her injury, "Hey, can I chop something? Can I do anything?" She stood up and approached him, grabbing the spatula she found on the way and waving it around like a magic wand.

"I'm actually almost done, you can set the table if you want."

"Alright, where are the plates and utensils?"

Syaoran pointed at the cupboard and drawer to his right and continued to tend to the cooking meat as Sakura bent down to get what she needed. Wei returned not long after that, carrying a small white box in his hands and smiling at the sight before him. Syaoran and Sakura could pass for a young married couple, preparing a romantic lunch.

"Would you like me to do anything sir?" he asked and placed the First Aid on one of the benches, "Miss, let me." He took the plates from Sakura and beckoned her to take a seat which she followed rather hesitantly.

"Actually, just put these in serving plates, they're done." Syaoran said and moved aside for Wei to take his place, "I just got to fix up that thing on her forehead, I totally forgot about it."

Sakura gasped as she remembered and traced a careful finger on the cut on her temple, she winced as the throbbing came back. "Don't touch it," Syaoran ordered and carried the First Aid from the bench, "I can't believe I forgot about it."

She smiled at him, moved by his apparent worry, "I'm okay don't worry. If you didn't remind me, I wouldn't have known."

"It would have gotten infected then." He scolded and applied a white anti-bacterial crème with a cotton bud, "I can't do much about the bruising but it'll go on its own."

Sakura pouted in irritation, she didn't appreciate being treated and talked to like a child, "It's going to be fine." She leaned away from his hovering figure but he held her shoulder with his other hand and instructed her to stay still.

"That stings!" she complained, wincing from the sudden feeling of penetrating needles in her open wound, "Owwie." He blew on it and patched it up with a bandaid, patting her head needlessly, making her growl in protest.

He rolled his eyes, "Just be thankful that the 6 litre tub of ice cream on the shelf above the one you knocked down didn't go falling on your head."

"I'd like to throw those at you any day." She spat grudgingly and turned to the steaming food in front of her, "Oh my god, I'm so hungry it's not funny."

"Go ahead and eat then." He sighed and turned to return the First Aid in the bathroom, "Wei, I cooked you one too, so sit down and eat."

"I couldn't possibly," Wei said, shaking his head in disbelief, "I'm quite alright sir."

Syaoran stared at him expectantly and urged for him to sit down, "You better be eating when I come back Wei."

Sakura smiled him and pushed the second white plate towards him, "It's okay, eat with me."

Wei sat down and stared at the juicy steak, certain that it would taste good as he knew that his young master was an exceptional cook. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, he took a small bite and chewed slowly, "Thank you miss." Sakura noticed this and changed into talking mode, chatting amiably until they were both engaged in a warm, friendly conversation. Syaoran returned and took a sit by Sakura's side, pulling the plate of steamed vegetables towards him.

"Aren't you going to eat some steak Syaoran?" Sakura asked, motioning for him to have some of hers if he wanted but he shook his and told her that he couldn't eat something so heavy when it was still so early. She nodded her head in understanding and smiled happily at him, "Who would have thought that a person like you can cook?"

"What's that suppose to mean?" he asked with a raised brow, "What do you mean by a person like me?"

She laughed and took another spoonful, grinning in reply. Warm chatter filled the room as the food slowly disappeared but the smell and warm resilience lingered around them, a memory Sakura would never dare to forget.

"Syaoran!" Sakura suddenly gasped after swallowing the last piece of food in her mouth, "Do you think the ice cream melted in the car!"

Syaoran's eyebrows came together as the idea irked him, it felt like a direct hit, the thought making him jump and sprint back to the parking lot, "Shit!"

The moment Syaoran left the kitchen, both Wei and Sakura burst into fits of laughter, "Did you see his face?" Sakura asked shaking his head, "I hope the ice cream didn't melt though."

"I have never seen the young master like this," Wei said and smiled at Sakura, "I cannot believe that he also came back here and actually cooked after all this time."

"Is it that unusual?"

"You see this restaurant was actually owned by sir Syaoran and his grand mother. They ran it together and every Sundays, they would come here and Syaoran would always cook for her."

"Really? They must be very close then?" Sakura asked, piling the dirty plates together, "Why, doesn't Syaoran cook for her anymore?"

"He hasn't come near this restaurant in 5 years or cooked for that matter."

Sakura looked at him suggestively, "let me guess, he accidentally set a kitchen on fire or locked himself in the freezer?"

The old man laughed amiably and shook his head, "No, nothing of that sort, Master Syaoran has always been very careful and precise in everything he does – I mean one has to be if he must inherit the Li name."

"I see, then why then?"

He sighed, the lines on his face more apparent to Sakura than they were before, "Sir Syaoran practically grew up on his own, his parents were always out of the country for business trips and his four older sisters were all sent to a prestigious girl's boarding school. The only family who stayed with him as he was growing up was his grand mother. She died 5 years ago, along with Sir Syaoran's heart for cooking. He only cooked for her you see, and no one else."

Sakura was too stunned to say anything but as she was about to reply, she felt a violent tug inside her as if her body was being ripped apart. A cold shudder crawled its way up her spine, tears spilling from her eyes and her breath caught in her throat. She tried to scream but she couldn't find her voice and she instantly couldn't breathe either. Wei looked at her and noticed her face growing pale, "Miss Sakura, are you alright?"

Sakura couldn't speak. She was paralysed as she felt her heart being squeezed out of blood, digging deeper and deeper into her back, "Syao…ran…" She felt like she was drowning, invisible water pulling her towards a bottomless sea.

Wei barely heard what she said but understood immediately what she wanted. He took off after Syaoran, his face distorted in fear, "I'll go get him."

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Syaoran ran across the garden and reached his car, slightly out of breath. He took out his keys and unlocked the door automatically, suddenly remembering that he had placed the groceries in the trunk and not in the passenger's seat. He walked further towards the back of his car and abruptly felt a slight jab at his heart which caused him to reach for his chest and claw at his skin there. He raised his eyes towards the entrance of the restaurant as it flew open and Wei came running out, the discolouration of his face visible from where Syaoran stood.

"Master Syaoran! Something's happened to Miss Sakura!"

Syaoran's eyes widened as he realised that he had walked too far from her, and the jab he felt was the indication that he had stepped outside the acceptable boundary. He almost knocked himself in the head as he saw that he was more than fifteen metres away from her and the limit was ten! He hurried back, nearly colliding with Wei and headed for the kitchen, his mind swirling with worry. Upon entering the white room, he nearly stumbled over Sakura's limp body. Her face was a pale blue and he could not see any sign of life in her…

**She **

**wasn't **

**even **

**breathing **

**anymore…**

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**A/N: DUN DUN DUN** :hides behind the couch: I am so sorry for late update, i tried posting this up last Friday and Saturday but my sistah glued herself infront of the computer and she wouldnt get out! I even kicked her for it (literally), that didnt get her out either. So it wasn't entirely my fault (T.T) I actually planned to post up new chapters every Friday and I would have made the deadline if SHE didnt leave her dumb assignment to the last minute and hogged the comp. So my apologies again and I hope this chapter's okay - i know boring but I had to put it in and hopefully by next chapter, the story would be set in the school scene already! That is if Sakura's starts to breathe again!

Thank you thank you thank you to all the people who reviewed the last chapter, I was on the verge of tears!

spesh thanks to BabyPenguin who's been most supportive and she's such a doll!

bright-eyesxX: thanks and yeh, i am trying to make this story different from the usual ones, i hope its okay.

Please review, any comments, suggestions, constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again!


	4. Guilt

**My Only Wish**

**By: s2.koiishii.s2**

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**Summary:**

Getting a hold of a peculiar green bottle, Syaoran didn't expect that he'd suddenly wake up one morning with a girl claiming to be a genie in his arms. She promised to grant him 5 wishes and then she would disappear from his life forever after fulfilling them. But what he had come to realise in the end was, of all the humanly happiness he could possibly wish for, his only true wish was something she could never grant him. Because she simply did not belong in his world, and he did not belong in hers.

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**A/N:** my sincere apologies, I hope you guys would still support this story (T.T) it's the holidays now and finally I get to have a break from stupid school. I now have time to update and I got my inspiration back… I really thought I'd lost it after not writing for so long, I am SO VERY SORRY. Please forgive me . this chapter is actually totally different from the original one I typed up which I did months ago, but I was not satisfied with it, and if you didn't know, I'm a lousy perfectionist… I got too paranoid.

I know this will be bothersome, but I'd really recommend it if you read this story all over again, I didn't change anything from the previous chapters but just so stuff is fresh in your mind, even I had to re-read this story again and again. I can only slightly remember my original plan for this story so I've come up with a new one

I hope this chapter is okay, I know it cant make up for all that time of waiting, but I've already started the next chapter so it will be up ASAP. I'd appreciate any reviews, comments, suggestions, questions, criticism… Even if you feel like chucking a cornflake bowl at me -.-

Lolz just get it over with, I'll take it all.

Thanks to **-ur-hearts-desire- **for the bowl of cornflakes…

I love you guys, I'm sorry again. :3

Lub s2.koiishiii.s2

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END OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER...

Syaoran's eyes widened as he realised that he had walked too far from her, and the jab he felt was the indication that he had stepped outside the acceptable boundary. He almost knocked himself in the head as he saw that he was more than fifteen metres away from her and the limit was ten! He hurried back, nearly colliding with Wei and headed for the kitchen, his mind swirling with worry. Upon entering the white room, he nearly stumbled over Sakura's limp body. Her face was a pale blue and he could not see any sign of life in her…

**She wasn't even breathing anymore…**

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**MY ONLY WISH : CHAPTER FOUR : GUILT **

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Going through the terrifying ordeal of racing against time, Syaoran somehow found himself within the walls of the Li mansion with Sakura unconscious in his arms. Dozens of servants awaited their arrival; among them were his stern but concerned mother, Yelan Li and his curious cousin Meiling. Fortunately for Syaoran, the dreaded and expected questions didn't come until Sakura was properly tended to, five doctors came immediately within fifteen minutes of being called, adhering to Yelan's urgent request. All he found himself doing amidst the commotion was stand useless in a corner, to the point of banging his head on any solid surface to rid of his pounding paranoia and stop himself from shaking all over. He had never been as afraid as he was then, the image of Sakura's lifeless expression kept replaying in his mind and he knew full fell that if something happened to her, his sanity will shatter.

Meiling left her aunt's side who was too preoccupied with dictating orders as everyone scurried all over the place. She looked around for her cousin and found him leaning against a white pillar in the corner, his face a void of emotions. She approached him, her shoes tapping softly on the marble floor and stood to confront him. She was bursting with questions but she knew that he was in no shape to answer her enquiries. She smothered him in her reassuring embrace which he accepted with no fuss, her hand patting his back ever so lightly, "God you're shaking. It's okay Syaoran, she'll be fine."

He stared silently up ahead as he leant his shaking form completely on hers for support, his eyes slightly watering. Meiling felt the weight of his built and heard the abrupt change in his breathing as a foreign lone tear trailed its way down the back of her neck. She knew then that he had finally broken down. She continued to pat his back gently, anxiety present on her face, it was all too soon for him to experience this all over again.

"It's going to be okay," she murmured to him causing him to settle down after a few minutes, "it's going to be okay, I promise."

He stepped away from her arms and nodded his head, wiping any sign of tears on his face and glared at her softly, "If you tell anybody about this help me god-"

Meiling smiled in return, her face a picture of mischief, "Sure thing, but its going to cost you dear cousin, it's not everyday that THE Syaoran Li sheds a tear with me to witness it."

"THE Syaoran Li would very much appreciate it _if this didn't happen at all_. Mother called me when I was rushing Sakura to the hospital, how did she know?"

Meiling stared up at her cousin, his eyes were a burning shade of intense amber, "Wei called auntie and told her everything. Auntie knew it would take you longer if you drove all that way so she just called doctors to come here and called you to take her here. So, who is your friend exactly?"

Realisation dawned on him, "Fuck! Where is she?" he exclaimed, fear present in his façade, "I'm suppose to be near her."

She raised a brow at this statement, "Your 'girl-friend' is upstairs, I think the room next to yours." She watched as he sprinted out of sight up the grand stair case, "I wonder who the hell she is?"

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Days passed by and all Syaoran could remember doing, aside from leaning on the wall that separates his room from Sakura's, was checking up on her every half an hour. He was unable to go anywhere even downstairs for his meals since it finally hit him that he really needed to stay close to her to prevent straining her body any further. He had made so many lies, countless excuses until he had practically made a whole new world that even he wasn't sure he could pull off. He knew he owed her for her current ill state; lies were but a small price to pay to keep her safe.

Syaoran had created her identity all in a spur of the moment, he was uncertain at first as he knew that his mother could be quite perceptive but as he went on, her existence gradually became absolute and his lies became a reality.

"_Would you like to start explaining?" Yelan asked her son, her stern gaze fixated on his face, "Who is this girl?"_

_Syaoran had already decided on the answer for the particular question as he knew it was the first to come, fortunately he had had some time to think of it while he waited for the confrontation that was bound to happen. "Sakura's an exchange student from France, she attends my school. As you know, Eriol is in the school council and he had asked me the favour of being her host since her arrival had been last minute and they didn't get time to prepare for anyone to take her. I didn't get the opportunity to tell you since I actually just found out myself yesterday. I hope it's okay if she stays here?"_

_Yelan's face softened a bit, nodding her head as she let his explanation sink in, "What happened to her then? I don't think her parents would be too happy if they found out that she had collapsed on her first day here in Japan."_

"_I picked her up at the airport this morning, she told me about her condition that she gets really tired easily and she said it's normal. Her flight, I'm guessing exhausted her."_

"_I don't mind her staying, we have a lot of room but I want to speak with her parents as soon as she wakes up. I want to confirm that they know that she'll be staying with us."_

"_I don't think that would be necessary mother," Syaoran objected, hiding the anxiety in his face, "I talked to them this morning already when she called them to tell them she had arrived safely."_

_Meiling, who was quietly standing beside Yelan all this time raised a brow and managed to find her voice, "Wow she's French, no wonder she's so pretty. That's so cool; I can practice my French on her."_

_Shit. Shit. Shit._

"_It's settled then," Yelan said finally as she headed for the door, "Arrange it Syaoran, it's either her parents call me or I'll be the one to contact them."_

"_But—"_

"_And I want to speak with Sakura when she wakes up."_

"_But---"_

_Meiling followed her aunt out the door and Syaoran was left to protest to himself, "But… there are no parents in France… and she most likely can't speak French…" He wallowed in his predicament, knowing full well that they were going to be found out sooner than he expected._

_Outside in the hallway, Yelan and Meiling were having a conversation of their own concerning their doubts about Syaoran's claims. Yelan had caught on even before her son started making up his stories, "The girl Sakura seems harmless enough but I still want to know what's really going on. Meiling, call Eriol when you get the chance, find out as much as you can."_

"_You didn't need to ask auntie, I'm on it." Meiling replied, determination tainting her voice, "You are so transparent cousin tsk tsk tsk, who is this Sakura that you are so stubborn to protect?"_

Syaoran couldn't even remember the last thing he did in school; he had been so worried that he had forgotten everything else in his life. He stood up from his usual sitting place by the wall and looked around for his phone -- he just remembered that he needed to call Eriol to make sure everything had been set. He speed-dialled Eriol's number the moment he found his phone and returned to his spot by the wall.

"Sex-god Eriol at your service."

"You disgusting asshole, what if it was my mother who called not me?"

"Easy dear little cousin, I'll tell her you dared me to do it," Eriol chuckled, "What's up?"

"Have you done everything I asked you to do? The enrolment papers, documents, student visa, passport, ID…"

"Yes yes yes, seriously, don't get so paranoid. Yeah, I've done it all. At least thank me you ass."

Syaoran sighed in relief as he heard the good news, "Are you sure? Like sure-sure?"

"I can't get anymore sure-sure than I am now. You owe me a heck of an explanation Syaoran and a car."

Syaoran grunted in response, "You're rich enough to get dozens of cars, I don't get why you want mine. The documents better be fool-proof or it's your ass on the line."

"The fact that it's yours is precisely the fact I want it, it holds so much heart-whelming memories for you," Eriol sobbed on the other line making Syaoran grit his teeth, "Anyway, I was kidding, I don't want your dumb over-used car, the one I drive right now is a brand new model. I have no use for your junk. Although, you do owe me big time and you are officially at my mercy. You have to do everything I ask you to do as pay back for all this trouble I bothered myself with when I could have spent it with my darling Tomoyo."

"Whatever. Do what you want. Another thing, do you happen to know anyone from France? It's important. I need French parentals for Sakura?"

"I'll see what I can do. Damn man, this girl better be worth it, I've never seen you bother this much for a girl…"

"Let's just say I owe her."

"Darling cousin, stop making owing people a habit," Eriol cooed like a concerned parent, "it'll bite your ass later in your life"

"The only thing I'm concerned about is my debt to you. I'm bound to do something I don't want to do."

"For me to know and for you to find out. Anything else little cousin? Someone's calling me on the other line."

"Yeah, you're a natural bullshit artist so use your natural talent when someone asks about this whole thing. You know the drill yeh?"

"I don't know if I'm supposed to be flattered or insulted. I have to go, my talking time with you has long been extended. Tomoyo's probably going to bite my ass off for making her wait on the other line. Bye!"

"Whatever." Syaoran hanged up and stared at his phone, another sigh of relief escaped his lips. _Now, all I have to do is wait for her to wake up…_

He closed his eyes and strained his ears to listen for any hint of sound from Sakura's room but there was nothing but silence. It would have been easier if he could just stay in her room than to sit here by the wall to be as near to her as possible but Meiling made it a habit to check on Sakura herself as ordered by his mother. He knew that Meiling already thought that there was something going on between him and Sakura and if that was the case, they would most likely think she had run away from her parents to be with him. But that wasn't the case and it would be easier on him if they didn't stay with that conclusion, the thought of a sudden marriage ceremony between him and Sakura would be unavoidable then. If he wasn't mistaken, Yelan was also set on speaking with Sakura the moment she wakes up to verify the authenticity of his story, he knew that it would be crucial to tell Sakura the situation before she gets sent to see his mother or else things would get totally out of hand.

He stood up and got out of his room to check up on her, gently opening her door to make the least amount of noise possible. He walked to her bed side and looked down at her serene face, itching to brush away the stray strand lying by her rosy cheek. He smiled inwardly, thankful that there was now colour on her face and she seemed so much better. He fixed the blanket over her form for the 100th time that day and walked back to his room, slightly hungry. He called out for a servant and ordered for a hot meal to be taken up to his room and waited patiently, sliding down to his usual spot,

he wished more than anything to hear her cheery voice once again.

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Eriol hanged up on his cousin Syaoran with a sigh and promptly answered the caller on the other line thinking it was his girl friend Tomoyo, "Sex-god Eriol at your service."

"Eww what is that Eriol, you nut!"

"It seems that I'll be so unfortunate today as to get so many calls from family and not from Tomoyo." Eriol said as he recognised Meiling's voice, "What can I do for you cousin?"

"A lot actually," Meiling started with an irritated tone, "You can start by learning to pick up your phone quickly so I won't have to wait next time AND improve your phone etiquette. **Sex-god my ass**."

"Syaoran dared me to do it so I can't do anything, besides chicks dig it."

"What chicks you gaybo! And wait until I tell on Syaoran to auntie."

"For your information, I'm happy and attached. You ever wonder why you're single? I'll enlighten you."

"No not today, enlighten me with your bullshit some other time okay Eriol? This is serious, aunt Yelan asked me to call you."

Eriol picked up the solemn nature in her voice and converted to his serious self, "What's wrong?"

"It's about this girl Syaoran brought home with him a few days ago --apparently she's an exchange student from France?"

"Oh, you mean Sakura?" Eriol asked, changing to bullshit artist mode, "Yeah, she's enrolled at our school, it was all so last minute, I couldn't think of anyone to be her host. Syaoran became last resort."

"Of all people, why in hell did you pick Syaoran? Why couldn't YOU host her?"

"Because Tomoyo wouldn't be too happy if I have a girl prancing around in my house." Eriol stated as his head thoroughly analysed his lies to rid of any aspect of doubt in advance, "You know how Tomoyo is."

"I guess, but isn't Syaoran going out with someone too? I do have connections in that school of yours you know."

"Yeah but Syaoran's not serious about that girl, he figured he should have one around to get rid of the others. You know how it is, being so popular seems to be so bothersome for him." Eriol said thoughtfully, smiling to himself for being so smooth, "Why does auntie mind? I'll get someone else to host Sakura then?"

"No, no, it's fine, auntie just wanted to make sure that's all," Meiling said neutrally, "besides, it'll be fun to have someone to hang out with other than Mr. Frosty."

"Syaoran isn't that bad, he may be such a blob of shit sometimes, but he's got his good days."

"I know. I'll go then and tell auntie. Thanks a lot Eriol."

"No problem cuz'"

"Oh one more thing," she said rather callously, her voice somewhat piercing through him, "Auntie wouldn't be too happy if she finds out that she's been lied to… just hope you know that…"

"What are you talk---?"

"Bye!"

Eriol stared at his phone in worry, "If auntie finds out, I'll probably be kicked out of the family… damn Syaoran, he better know what he's doing." His phone suddenly vibrated in his hand, snapping him from his train of thoughts, "Eriol here."

"Awww…" Tomoyo asked sitting up from her lying position, "What happened to **-Eriol the sex god at your** **service-**?"

"I've been told off for it twice already today so I thought I'd change it," Eriol said as he thought of Meiling's warning again, "Tomoyo babes, hypothetically speaking, would you love me any less if I lost all my fortune and get kicked out of the Li clan?"

Tomoyo raised a brow, "Are you alright Eriol babes? What made you say that?"

"Nothing, just hypothetically thinking…?"

"Hypothetically thinking, what would you do if I did?" Tomoyo asked jokingly unable to see Eriol's reaction through the phone.

**_Damn-you-Syaoran. _**

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Accidentally bumping unto the tray of food he had eaten 3 hours ago, Syaoran woke up and groaned at his stiff back. He had fallen asleep in an uncomfortable position while leaning against the wall and now he was having a hard time getting up. He stretched his legs forward and propelled himself to his feet, slightly feeling off-balanced at first. He picked up the tray from the floor, wincing as he bent down and nearly fell completely flat on his face if he hadn't held unto the wall. Soft murmurs registered in his head as he heard his mother's voice through the wall beside him, her questions were being answered by a meek and distant but familiar voice.

He hadn't heard her voice in so long that it seemed so foreign to him…

He rushed to Sakura's room hopeful and smiled in relief as he saw her sitting up in bed, her emerald eyes glittering with life. His mother and Meiling were in the room, surprised by his sudden entrance.

"Any louder Syaoran?" Meiling pointed out, frowning at her cousin, "Do you intend to wake the whole mansion?"

Before he could answer, his mother piped in, "I was just asking Sakura about this whole arrangement."

Syaoran's expression tightened in response, focusing her gaze at the clueless genie who could only stare right back at Yelan. "Mother, as I said it's all been arranged…"

"Be quiet Syaoran, I want to hear it from our guest."

Meiling smiled warmly at Sakura, urging for her to speak, "Bienvenue! Est-ce que vous francaise? Et vous parlez francais?" (Welcome, are you French? And do you speak French?)

_Shit! Fuck!_

"Err…." Syaoran heard Sakura say, her voice uncertain, "Umm actually…"

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**A/N:** that is the end of this chapter, sorry again for the wait btw i'm in need of a fluent french speaker lolz! i'm only doing beginner french so i don't know what I'm on about. If ya'll satisfied with my crooked french, then its fine then!!!

My love goes out to these people for reviewing the last chapter:

TRC3t, meow-mix23, Prince Kame, ashley-chan1, SacredBlade, Boggart, czakali, Black Star Dragon Girl, Flyinganimepig, Totally Kawaii, x-applesauce-x, -ur-hearts-desire-, cherrylove0 Boheme5, lil sakura, The Angels' Princess, ahhmeii, SabyChan1, Adeen, BabyPenguin

Next chappy will be in a few days Please tell me what you think.

xoxo s2.koishii.s2


	5. Impatience

**My Only Wish**

**By: s2.koiishii.s2**

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**Summary:**

Getting a hold of a peculiar green bottle, Syaoran didn't expect that he'd suddenly wake up one morning with a girl claiming to be a genie in his arms. She promised to grant him 5 wishes and then she would disappear from his life forever after fulfilling them. But what he had come to realise in the end was, of all the humanly happiness he could possibly wish for, his only true wish was something she could never grant him. Because she simply did not belong in his world, and he did not belong in hers.

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**A/N:** . Aint the whole apologizing thing getting old? And heck here I am doing it agen. Don't want to sound repetitive, so you all know how it goes, please dun forget to review if you've got sumthing to say I appreciate every single review I get and I'm aiming to hit that 100 mark, I think im gona cry if that happens lolz! I mean getting bloody 50 reviews is impossible enuff for me im so happy T.T. hahaha yes, I have no life whatsoever. But that 100 mark is just so near yet so far…

Sorry for being a lousy authoress, bloody crap I know how I want this story to go but im so impatient, I just wana get to the gud stuff but if I rush it, there will be no rational sensing or character development or wotever. It's a personal hobby to make things complicated for myself plus im such a sad perfectionist, im never satisfied with anything! Enuff of mah blabbering. Heres chappy 5, hope I dun disappoint much, I get so scared when I put up a new chapter. I just get REALLLY paranoid…

Dun mind me. Til next tym. 

Lub s2.koiishiii.s2

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**END OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER...**

Before he could answer, his mother piped in, "I was just asking Sakura about this whole arrangement."

Syaoran's expression tightened in response, focusing her gaze at the clueless genie who could only stare right back at Yelan. "Mother, as I said it's all been arranged…"

"Be quiet Syaoran, I want to hear it from our guest."

Meiling smiled warmly at Sakura, urging for her to speak, "Bienvenue! Est-ce que vous francaise? Et vous parlez francais?" (Welcome, are you French? And do you speak French?)

_Shit! Fuck!_

"Err…." Syaoran heard Sakura say, her voice uncertain, "Umm actually…"

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**MY ONLY WISH : CHAPTER FIVE :IMPATIENCE **

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Sakura momentarily glanced up towards Syaoran and privately questioned his state of appearance. His clothes were dishevelled, bloodshot eyes, tired lines on his handsome face and the apparent concern for her safety lingering in his mind. A few seconds was all it took for her to collect the fragments of his memory, sorting through the events that had happened for the past few days through his perspective. She winced and closed her eyes as the images overwhelmed her; along with these visions were the manifestation of the recollection of his senses. She could feel what he had felt, hear all he had heard, taste, see, smell… all came pouring into her unprepared and exhausted psyche, giving way to an impending migraine.

She ended the mental connection between them as she choked for breath. She gazed up to meet his eyes again with a pained expression on her face -- she didn't only feel her own fatigue now but also his as well including his mounting anxiety. Grasping some sort of explanation from the vision she had just seen, she presumed that he hadn't slept properly in days and that he had been confined in his room all throughout her period of recovery. The least he could have done was take care of himself for her sake but all means of blame quickly disintegrated as she knew that he had been nothing but frantic and worried over her.

Syaoran was speechless as his mother awaited for Sakura's answer; he was in no power to intrude in their conversation, especially with Yelan's growing impatience. The consequences of his lies didn't even cross his mind as of yet, there was too much to think about and he was still in the process of silently rejoicing over Sakura's awakening. At least the weight of his guilt was finally cut into half.

Replacing the tension and silence was the sudden odd feeling of Sakura's probing mind. The sensation was foreign to him, it wasn't like the last time when he was caught unaware and she just wandered off in his head without his knowledge. Now, he could feel every penetrating attempt – insensitive, rash, desperate… weak. He knew that she had less control of her power, that or she barely had any in her frail state so he eased any resistance and embraced her presence in response. He didn't realise that completely opening the gates of his mind would cause for everything to instantly flood unto her side of the court without any sense of rationality. If only he knew that she nearly drowned from the force of his muddled and chaotic thoughts – she made a point of hitting him later for it, clueless as he was.

Both her mind and body felt fragile and delicate. She ached all over.

"Are you okay Sakura?" Syaoran asked, breaking the stillness and sensing the pain she was feeling, "Sakura?"

Yelan hurried Meiling out of the room and asked for her to call the doctor and to bring some aspirins when she returned. Sakura objected to the commotion, she didn't wish to impose or to bother Syaoran's family any more than she already has but her pleas were completely ignored. Once she was tucked-in with a damp cloth on her forehead after taking some pain-relievers, Yelan finally settled down and waited for the doctor to arrive.

"I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble, Mrs Li." Sakura said softly, slightly drowsy and on the verge of sleep, "I didn't think I would collapse the moment I got here in Japan."

Yelan willed for her to hush and rest but she continued, her voice barely a whisper, "It had been last minute that I didn't even think they'd be able to find me a host so thank you so much for having me."

"It's my pleasure" Yelan replied kindly, patting Sakura's hand gently for reassurance, "We'll discuss this later when your better."

"Merci beacoup," Sakura slurred and finally succumbed to the heaven of rest, the ache in her body gradually fading as she shut out the light and welcomed the darkness, "thank you…"

Yelan sighed and finally focused her gaze to her son, "You better get some rest as well Syaoran, have you seen yourself?" Not bothering to answer, he nodded his head and watched her leave the room, sighing deeply at the conclusion of his predicament. He pulled at his chocolate mane in relief and sat on the chair by Sakura's bedside, somewhat content with just staring at her serene face. He was so worn out and barely conscious, the confrontation with his mother sucked all of his energy and left him to feel like an empty, mindless zombie. Casting a quick glance out the window, he realised that it was quite late, probably close to midnight. Refusing to lose to another sleepless night, he leant his head on his arms in front of him and slept by her side, their closeness finally liberating all of his worries.

"Sakura, I can't believe this thing just somehow worked out. You're completely something else."

Her faint reply came like a whisper in his mind, surprising him at first but as he closed his eyes to concentrate for her message, her reassuring presence gradually calmed him. After all those consecutive sleepless nights of worrying for her, he instantly succumbed to the exhaustion he felt and dozed off into a dreamless slumber, her message drawing him deeper into a world of numbness.

_Trust me, Syaoran._

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Meiling led the doctor she had contacted half an hour ago towards their visitor's room, knocking politely on the door awaiting for a reply. When none came, she pushed the door open and adjusted her eyes to the darkness that greeted her eyes. Casting a vibrant ray of light through the window, the moon accentuated both the figure beneath the folds of the sheets on the bed and the other shadow curled over on the side. She smirked at the sight, grinning to herself; an idea just came to her.

Turning to face the doctor, she quietly led him downstairs again and requested him to return first thing in the morning to do the check up. Annoyed, the plump man took the stethoscope from around his neck and glared at Meiling disapprovingly, "Next time, please make sure that you need my services before calling up. It'll save me the hassle."

She bowed apologetically although she didn't appreciate the attitude, "I'm so sorry for wasting your time, she'll be ready for the check up tomorrow morning at about 10."

"Alright." The doctor puffed, heading for the main entrance to the mansion, "10 it is."

Meiling smiled to his face but hastily raised the rude finger once she was facing his back, muttering to herself, "You get paid for it anyway fatso." The irritation she felt slowly faded away as her idea popped back into her head and she rushed upstairs, 2 steps at a time. When it came to her darling cousin Syaoran, she just couldn't stop herself…

_Meiling returned into Sakura's room after an hour or so and quietly treaded beside Syaoran, mischief dancing in her ruby eyes. She nearly fell over, she could barely see. The room was intensely silent, the only thing audible was Sakura and Syaoran's synchronised breathing. She poked her beast of a cousin and silently giggled as he didn't respond – perfect, he was really knocked out._

_She bent over to his ear and whispered systematically, "Syaoran…Syaoran… Syaoran…"_

_He didn't stir even a bit which aggravated Meiling, everyone knew she wasn't a very patient person. She tried again, only this time slightly louder; she almost jumped out of her skin when Sakura was the one who stirred, "Stupid Syaoran"_

_Doing the most sensible thing that came to mind to get the effect she needed, she poked Syaoran harshly on his side which made him giggle like a girl. Meiling smirked, "Bingo!"_

_She did it again and as expected, Syaoran giggled deliriously making Meiling giggle herself. She was the only one who knew of Syaoran's big secret tickle spot, it got him every single time. Leaning over to his ear, she spoke to him, "Syaoran, why are you sleeping there, come on just climb up the bed and be a good boy."_

_His face scrunched up in concentration, Meiling clamped her hand to her mouth to prevent herself from bursting in laughter. She was guessing things needed to be processed much slower when he's only but a tiny bit alert. _

_And then there was always that issue of guys and their egos._

"_Climb up the bed and be a good BIG boy." Meiling murmured, rolling her eyes, "Come on BIG boy._

_It was like magic, Meiling slowly watched as Syaoran slowly clambered into the bed, a smile of satisfaction on his face._

"_That's right, BIG boy." If he only saw Meiling's smile of satisfaction, his was nothing compared to hers. Manipulating a bad thing to a good thing to her advantage was Meiling's speciality; there was no one who could possibly out do her in that department._

_She kicked him further into the bed and led his arms around Sakura's waist, smiling down at her handy work. Before turning around to head for the door, she took out her small trusty digital camera and took a quick snap shot with a deviant grin on her face._

"_This is probably going to come in handy later," Meiling said quietly to no one in particular, "to rid of that stupid bitch…"_

---------------------------------------------

She nudged him impatiently with full force, she could hardly move with his arms tightly coiled around her small waist, "Syaoran!"

He heard her voice ringing in his ears, the reassuring echo of her tone when he heard her last was gone and was now replaced by loud curses of frustration. He closed his eyes shut and murmured curses as colourful as hers, "Damnit, let me sleep!"

Jabbing her finger persistently on the arm exposed to her reach, she blushed lightly as she felt his firm biceps beneath her touch, "Come on Syaoran! I've been cooped up in this house for bloody three days! I need fresh air and new clothes to change into. And I can't bloody breathe! Get off of me!"

Grunting in reply, he continued to nap and tightened his hold on her even more, "Go on then, go already." Sakura twitched in annoyance - it wasn't as if she could just skip out to the mall and spend his money like she wanted to could she now? As long as he stayed as a useless sleeping leech fastened to her, she was trapped with no means of escape. She couldn't even go down to the kitchen to eat a decent meal, she was **starving** AND she needed to pee.

"Get up you ass! Syaoran!"

"Shush." He snapped, his voice thick with sleep, if he were fully conscious she knew she would be shrinking back from his forbidding amber eyes.

Steering well away from his muscly arms to control her resurfacing blush, she prodded his back, jabbing her nails painfully through his shirt and unto his skin. His reaction, to Sakura's dismay, was minimal; he slept on ignoring her attacks.

She tried to pull free but the more she moved, the more she got herself tangled within the bed sheets and the tighter his arms locked unto her torso, "Damnit!"

A knock suddenly resounded within the room which made Sakura freeze on the spot, there was no way she would be caught dead like this with Syaoran, "Wait a second!"

"Get lost!" Syaoran bellowed in synch with her reply, making her curse the more. _Oh god, that sounded like we just did it… _

Gritting her teeth, she resorted to grabbing a whole patch of his chocolate mane and pulling at it with all her strength and reaching her lips to the nearest area of his skin. Her jaws enclosed on his shoulder, piercing past his shirt unto his skin. Syaoran instantaneously growled, getting up to punch the daylights out of the thing that bit him, his arms still enclosed around Sakura. Her whole body got lifted unto his lap in an instant, her back facing the door and her face inches from his, "Syaoran, my patience is wearing thin," Sakura said flatly, "let go of me before the person knocking comes in."

Still slightly unconscious, Syaoran didn't say or do anything; he continued to stare unto her emerald pools, his own amber ones darkening with a foreign emotion. Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine - she could see herself reflected in his glassy eyes, somewhat vulnerable and weak in his arms. It was transparent as day, Sakura was unsure wether he knew who she was or he was mistaking her for some other girl but there was a surging sense of possession and lust radiating from his person.

For a moment, she was sucked into a vacuum, unaware of anything but his presence. She didn't know how to react.

The knocking continued, gradually getting louder as her senses came back to normal. Sakura was thankful that the person by the door was persistent; she knew that if she got sucked into that vacuum any longer than she did, she would have done something forbidden. She shook her head slightly; surprised as Syaoran's smiling face came into view. His arms weren't around her waist anymore and he had a questioning look on his face, "Good morning?"

Sakura blushed, how long did she exactly space out?

"Um, hey." She muttered, brushing her auburn locks out of her face as she swiftly hopped off of his lap, "Sorry."

Syaoran chuckled and got up to open the door, "Meiling."

"About time the door got opened," Meiling irritatingly said, pushing herself into the room and looking about for Sakura. She found her standing in front of the window by the bedside, the sunlight gracefully filtering around her small form, her fingers lightly entangled in her long auburn tresses, "Good morning, I'm Meiling, Syaoran's cousin."

"Hey," Sakura smiled politely, slightly embarrassed in the thin, delicate night gown she had on, "I'm guessing this is yours?"

Meiling smiled in return, "Yeah, looks good on you, it's from France."

Sakura nodded knowingly, she just remembered that she had to play the French exchange student from now on. "Syaoran told me you study French?"

"Yeh, but I'm not that good, actually I suck." Meiling said truthfully, "but having an actual French person compared to my wanna-be French teacher in school, that's bound to work in my favour."

Sakura winked at her playfully, "No worries, I'm happy to help."

"God," Meiling exclaimed, turning to her cousin, "I swear being that naturally gorgeous is a sin." She looked pointedly at Sakura and continued to smile amiably as the genie blushed a deep red.

Syaoran sighed and shooed Meiling out of the room, "You're bloody freaking her out, and you sound like you're hitting on her."

"Why jealous much?"

"That's it get out."

"Alright! But before I go, auntie's asking when you're planning to go back to school. You haven't been going for nearly a week."

"It's Thursday today, we'll go tomorrow."

Meiling walked to the door, her neatly ironed blue skirt fluttering around her, "Whatever, I'm off to school. Auntie's also asking about her luggage?"

"Yeah, where ARE my stuff Syaoran?" Sakura piped in, making Syaoran curse on the spot, "I need some fresh clothes to change into?"

"I'll get it delivered here by this afternoon," he lied, "her luggage are still at my apartment."

Meiling raised a brow, "What is it doing there?"

"It's a long story," Syaoran said dryly, not bothering to make another lie, "Can she just borrow your stuff for the moment Meiling?"

"Don't worry then, I'll be fine!" Sakura interjected, not wanting to cause too much of an inconvenience to anyone else but Syaoran, "I'll be fine."

"Anything of mine you can borrow okay? Wait here, I'll get something for you to change into." Meiling insisted and disappeared from the room, "I'll be right back."

Syaoran looked at Sakura with a frown, "I don't like the idea of you two associating with each other."

Meiling returned in no time, carrying a pair of tight designer jeans, a couple of tops and undergarments, "Here you go, the undies and stuff are new so don't worry."

"Merci beacoup!" Sakura piped in, loving the smell of fresh clothes, "Je suis desolee pour la peine." (Thank you… I'm sorry for the trouble)

"I'l n'y a pas de quio. C'est ne peine pas la tout." (You're welcome. It's no trouble at all.)

Syaoran raised his brow in irritation, he knew they were speaking French but it annoyed him that he couldn't understand anything.

"Meiling, aren't you going to be late for school?"

"Yeah," she replied looking at her wrist watch, "I'm off then."

"About time." Syaoran mumbled, "the door's that way."

Meiling glared at him and looked at Sakura, "ne il inquietez pas d'eux, Syaoran est grand imbecile." (Don't mind him, he's a big idiot.)

Sakura giggled softly, "Les grands esprits se recontrent." (great minds think alike.)

Syaoran growled and led Meiling out himself, "I may not know French but I heard my name and I'm pretty sure what you said isn't nice, nothing that ever comes out of your mouth is decent Meiling."

Meiling giggled in response and slapped his hand off her arm playfully, "Why are you forcing me out of Sakura's room? This isn't your room you ass."

"Because I can and I will."

"Bye Sakura!"

Once Meiling was out of the room, Syaoran looked at Sakura and shook his head disapprovingly, "I swear, the whole you and her knowing each other is going to be bad news for me."

"You'll live," Sakura said cheerfully, excited to have a bath, "If you'll excuse me I really want to get out of these filthy clothes so you can take me out."

Syaoran sighed, understanding the fact that she needed to get out of the mansion after being cooped up for days plus he needed to get her her own clothes. "Fine, don't take too long. I'm starving."

"You're starving?" Sakura asked sarcastically, "It's not as if you're the one who hasn't eaten in days."

"I get the point," he said rolling his eyes, "I'm going to be in my room then, that's the door to the left of yours."

"Okay get out already!" she ordered, eager to step into a bubbling bath and relax, "Give me at least half an hour."

"By the way, how in hell do you know how to speak French?"

Stripping in the bathroom, Sakura happily answered in Chinese, "It just happens to be one of the languages I fluently speak out of over 500."

Syaoran almost tripped over when he heard that, "Are you serious?"

"It's a genie thing -- I mean we don't know where we end up going so we need to be able to speak every possible language in existence."

"Yeah, I get that."

"Great," she popped her head by the bathroom door and glared at Syaoran, "How about this, plain Japanese, GET OUT."

"Fine!" he said defensively, "it's not as if I'm dying to see you naked, I'm not some old perve."

Sakura clicked her fingers and smirked, "That's what they all say." An invisible force suddenly pushed Syaoran out the door and before he could protest, the door was slammed at his face.

Syaoran grunted and walked back to his room, he seriously had no idea how he ended up sleeping on Sakura's bed but hopefully that subject won't be brought up as his head was about to blow up with overflowing lies and excuses.

A person could only take a certain amount at a time, right now; all he wanted to do was to absorb what was happening at the moment, to fully understand the extent and depth of his situation and to somehow find a way to crawl out of this mess.

He shrugged,

_Once all this wishing business is over and done with_

_Once she disappears, forgotten_

He would be able to go back to his normal life without the pressure of all this dishonesty lingering around him.

He sighed.

He couldn't wait.

------------------------------------------------

Sakura looked down at her hands as she examined every line on her palm. Tears blurred her vision as every drop plummeted down the drain, unidentified among the water gushing out of the shower head. Now that she finally had a moment to herself, her fear resurfaced, she really thought she wasn't going to be able to wake up from the darkness that engulfed her in her unconscious state.

There was a constant pang in her heart, she was so afraid of failing in her mission and not being able to return to her family. She hadn't seen them for over a century and she did not wait for that long in vain… she couldn't possibly imagine herself failing.

She wished with all her heart to return home to the family she missed and loved dearly.

She wanted to return especially to Saki… the child she had left to the care of her father.

_Once all this wishing business is over and done with_

_Once I have completed my purpose and disappear…_

She would be able to live her life the way she wanted to live it, granting happiness to her family and child and not those of people she didn't love or care about.

She sighed, her hands in tight fists.

She couldn't wait.

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A/n: yes u'v reached the end of this chapter, i hope it wasnt too much of a drag . . PLEASE excuse my pathetic attempt at french, hahaha lolz! just mah luck iv got one reviewer who speaks french (BananasRgood4u) feel free to correct me, i'd rather learn the right stuff and pass my french tests, spesh this crucial year (the year thats gona decide the rest of my life T.T im being awfully laid back abt this actually, i have a feeling i'm but a failure thats about to happen.) cant do much about fate, what happens happens. que sera sera.

thanks for all your support, i am overwhelming wif happppiness T.T

and to -ur-hearts-desire- hands back the cornflake bowl here yah go, u shld reconsider chucking me yer mum's toaster, youre proly not gona get it back :3

please post a comment, suggestion, questions blah blah blah anything would be greatly appreciated.

luv u all!

MWAH!

i cant even rmmber my pen name

oh yeh

s2.KOISHIII.s2

p.s. to avoid any confusion and just to make sure its clear, Sakura's CAN read Syaoran's mind, so thats how they got out of the mess one reviewer guessed it ryt, here one brownie for you

and lolz one brownie for bebe inc. da da da da da im luvin it NICE.


	6. The First

**My Only Wish**

* * *

**END OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER...**

Sakura looked down at her hands as she examined every line on her palm. Tears blurred her vision as every drop plummeted down the drain, unidentified among the water gushing out of the shower head. Now that she finally had a moment to herself, her fear resurfaced, she really thought she wasn't going to be able to wake up from the darkness that engulfed her in her unconscious state.

There was a constant pang in her heart, she was so afraid of failing in her mission and not being able to return to her family. She hadn't seen them for over a century and she did not wait for that long in vain… she couldn't possibly imagine herself failing.

She wished with all her heart to return home to the family she missed and loved dearly.

She wanted to return especially to Saki… the child she had left to the care of her father.

_Once all this wishing business is over and done with_

_Once I have completed my purpose and disappear…_

She would be able to live her life the way she wanted to live it, granting happiness to her family and child and not those of people she didn't love or care about.

She sighed, her hands in tight fists.

She couldn't wait.

* * *

-----------------------------------------------

**MY ONLY WISH : CHAPTER SIX :THE FIRST**

--------------------------------------------

Sakura came out of the shower, fog and steam escalating at her wake. Breathing in deeply and exhaling with a smile, she got out of the bathroom humming to herself. A good crying session always worked wonders regardless of the constant sniffling and red swollen eyes. Although the dark, terrifying feeling still hung somewhere deep within her mind and heart, she felt somewhat at ease, relieved and content. She was so close yet so far, the time span of a year was all that was standing between her and her true happiness. Walking up to the window, she pulled the white silken robe that cascaded gracefully around her petite form closer to her skin and let her eyes venture out to the gardens below. Spring was at its peak, the variety of colours was entertaining her searching eyes. Gazing across the expansive greenery up to the horizon where the land met the sky, she couldn't help but feel the familiar breeze caressing her hair carrying with it the sweet perfume that was only existent in her own world. She laughed to herself, shaking her head lightly – _distance and time does test ones limit to the point of delusion._

Changing into the clothes Meiling had let her borrow and then blow drying her hair until it fell into gentle, sleek tresses around her shoulders, she headed for the door with thoughts of breakfast making her smile all the broader. The moment she opened the door, Syaoran strolled in, his mop of damp chocolate hair unruly on his head, an irritated look on his face,

"Are you planning to make me wait any longer?" He stated dully, taking in her lively, glowing face, bright green eyes, naturally flowing locks of hair and her sun-kissed shoulders and arms. She wore a plain green singlet that brought out her eyes and Meiling's tight designer jeans that enveloped her long legs like a glove. Syaoran shook his head disapprovingly; _trust Meiling to pick something like this out of her whole wardrobe._

Sakura smiled brightly, feeling rather in the best of moods, "Sorry! I didn't realise how long I stayed in the shower," she muttered, nudging him on the arm, "So what do you think?"

Looking at her again, he stated flatly, "Not bad."

"Not bad? Is that all you've got to say?" she raised a brow and sighed, "Heck why do I even bother trying to fish compliments out of you."

"There's nothing to fish."

After having breakfast, Syaoran called out to a servant to get his car prepared. After 10 minutes, another servant scurried back to report that the car was already out at the front, in her hands were a pair of black Versace stilettos with a gleaming green gem on each of its heel.

"What are those for?" Syaoran enquired looking down on the pair of heels in irritation, "I didn't ask for them."

"Sorry sir," the servant bowed lower, eyes focused on the floor, "Ms Meiling has ordered these to be given to Ms Sakura for her to wear out today. She left them before she headed off to school this morning."

Upon hearing this, Sakura who was standing beside Syaoran, squealed in delight and took the shoes from the helper, "Thank you so much! Syaoran was going to make me go out in these." Sakura looked down on the plain black slippers she had on, "Completely ruins this whole outfit."

"That girl never forgets anything." Syaoran muttered under his breath and nodded in consent.

"And pardon me Ms Sakura, Ms Meiling also ordered to have you wear this as well," the girl took out a plain but stunning gold chain necklace with small but distinct pearls hanging delicately from it. "Ms Meiling said to tell you that she's sorry that she remembered these the last minute that she didn't get around to giving it to you personally. She also mentioned to have fun today even though you're going to be stuck with…." She looked up to Syaoran in fear and coughed the rest of her sentences as she couldn't possibly say the exact following words.

Sakura laughed amiably, "Go on say it, if I were in your shoes, I'd be more scared of Meiling than Syaoran that's for sure."

"I'm sorry sir, I'm only following orders," the helper murmured, "That was all Ms Meiling told me to do and say."

"How annoying is it that Meiling tend to still be around when she's not literally around."

"These shoes are so pretty!" Sakura exclaimed ogling them in excitement, "Let's go."

Taking out his phone, Syaoran speed dialled Eriol's number as they walked out front to his car. Eriol picked up after three rings, "Tomoyo's macho macho man, Eriol speaking."

"I really didn't think it can get any worse than the sex-god bull before but you have proven me wrong yet again," Syaoran said trying not to die of embarrassment on behalf of his cousin and best friend, "What in hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm actually working on proving to you that you are better off as a woman since you complain and babble on like one." Eriol tutted happily on the other line, a tinge of impatience in his voice, "Tomoyo has actually just arrived, I don't have time to chit-chat dear cousin, what can I do for you."

Before Syaoran could reply, he heard Tomoyo's familiar 'hohohohohoho' in the background and other sounds that he'd rather think of as unidentified quirks of nature. Truly Eriol and Tomoyo lived in an alien world of their own. "Eriol! Are you there?!"

"Keep your pants on!" Eriol replied to Syaoran's impatience accompanied by the recurring 'hohohohoho' in the background.

"I just wanted to ask you where's the best place I can go to get clothes for girls? You know tops, jeans, and ummm under garments sort of thing?"

"Why don't you go to Tomoyo's clothes shop eh? She's got everything there, even designer labels and shoes and accessories. Tomoyo will call someone to help you when you get there okay?"

"Is that the one in Tokegyashi?"

"Yeh, that's the one, it's on the main road, it's hard to miss, pretty purple building."

"Thanks."

"Have fun!" Tomoyo interjected into the conversation, "Get her heaps of stuff from the Sweet Lolita range okay?"

Syaoran had to admit that Tomoyo was totally something else, the moment they were 5 steps away from the doors of her infamous clothing store, four tall, gorgeous women came out to usher them inside. Sakura snorted to herself, slapping Syaoran on the arm to remind him to control his wandering eyes, "Haven't you seen women before?"

He rolled his eyes and walked ahead of her, "They were hired to be looked at trust me."

"Fine, be an ass." She muttered dryly and followed behind him. The doors were held open by two tall, gorgeous men clad up in sophisticated suits. Both winked flirtatiously without shame at Sakura which made her giggle in delight, "Seems like they intend to satisfy female customers as well."

Syaoran glared at the two men and walked back to Sakura's side, holding her by the shoulders.

"What are you doing?" She asked surprised, "Don't worry I don't intend to go anywhere now." She winked back at the two men and walked straight inside the store.

"They looked like they were going to eat you up," he replied casually, almost dragging her away from the welcoming entourage, "Besides, its clothes we came here for."

She elbowed him lightly and smirked, "If didn't know any better, I'd say you're jealous."

"No, I'm not." He grunted back.

"Really? Even the slightest, tiniest… little bit?"

"No, I'm not. Really."

"Whatever you say." She said playfully, inclining her head around to smile at the direction of the door. He tightened his hold on her so she wouldn't be able to turn around and urged for her to walk faster.

"I so believe you. You are not _jealous at all_."

He didn't bother replying although he was quite irritated; _people should really just learn not to ogle at things I own. I may not literally own her but she's with me. That should be signal enough. I'm going to get these shit heads fired._

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he failed to notice Sakura staring at his irked facial expression. He seemed to have also forgotten that she could easily read anything that went through his mind.

"How about this, a proposal?" she chirped, nudging his side for his attention, "You're not allowed to look at those girls, and I'm not allowed to look at those guys."

"Fine." He answered dully, "But if they keep on looking, I'm allowed to punch them out."

"And if they," she said, nodding her head to the girls in front of them, "do the same, I'm entitled to do the hell I want as well."

"Deal."

"Deal."

They were led to a huge, elegantly furnished room. Purple velvet curtains flung sensually from the windows, a sparkling chandelier hung high and mighty from the ceiling, creating shimmers of glittering light. Every inch of wall had a built in shelf full of expensive, designer clothing. Corners were adorned with beautiful and flawless mannequins posing while wearing fashionable coats, shirts, skirts and jeans. The entire room was so delicately feminine, tinged with soft pink and purple enhanced with a surreal fairytale atmosphere. Sakura had found herself the paradise of perfect clothes.

"I've never been here before, but the commendations I have heard about this place have been true to their word," Syaoran muttered out of nowhere, "No wonder Meiling is here every weekend."

"I would be too," Sakura gushed, walking to the nearest shelf to check out the clothes, "It's like heaven in its own right."

"Alright, go look around, try everything you like."

"Are you serious?!" she beamed and on the verge of jumping on him.

"Yeah. I'm going to check out the other shops outside, you'll be fine on your own right?"

"I think you're forgetting something?"

"Oh crap!" he cursed, sighing deeply, "Don't tell me I have to stay here with you all day?"

"Unless you want me to have another fainting relapse, feel free." She said but added cheerfully, "It won't be that bad, sit somewhere and I'll model the stuff for you?"

"Argh, have you seen this room, 12 big, full shelves to go through and did I mention this is only the first room?!"

"How many rooms are there?" she asked curiously, excited to see the others, she had no doubt they were going to be as glamorous as the one she was in at the moment.

"I heard there are 4 more. I don't intend to spend the whole day here. We have to go to my cousin's house this afternoon, your school uniform was sent there." He replied flatly and headed to the nearest cushioned chair by the change rooms, "Hurry up already."

Syaoran called for assistance and two of the women who welcomed them earlier came strutting in, their hair flowing radiantly behind them. He could only wonder where in hell Tomoyo got such good looking employees; they were most likely amateur models who were still waiting for their big break. He took a quick glance at Sakura and found her busily scanning through the racks which meant he was free to have a casual conversation to preoccupy him. But before he could utter a word, he heard Sakura sneer menacingly, summoning the girls who were swooning over him.

"Hey!" she called out to the two women, "Yeah, I meant you two bimbos."

They looked at her in surprise, obviously out of words. No costumer had ever addressed them in such a vulgar way.

"I doubt _my boyfriend_ there would be in need of your help, I'm the one who needs the clothes so come here and carry the things I point out to you."

The girls complied and walked to stand beside her, looming over her petite form, "What would you like us to carry for you Mam?" the taller one droned on, giving Sakura an annoyed look.

Sakura looked up at her sweetly and pointed to the shirt in front of her, "This one. If you weren't so busy flirting with _my boy friend_ then you would have known."

"It was our fault Mam, I apologise." The other said sincerely, Sakura knew this one at least valued her job more than the other.

_You couldn't even last 5 minutes of our agreement?_ Syaoran nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard her voice in his mind. He looked up to where she was and saw that she had an angry expression on her beautiful face. He shrugged his shoulders in defeat and turned his head to stare somewhere else.

Sakura turned to the two gorgeous girls waiting for her order, at this she smiled all the sweeter, "Get one of every top, skirt, jeans, everything. I want to try out everything of every kind. I'll be in the change rooms waiting, don't dare take too long."

The two girls looked at her in disbelief, fully regretting messing with the petite, green eyed woman. "Yes Mam."

She glided to the change rooms, satisfied, "Oh and by the way, I'm not sure if I'm a size 4 or 6 so I want those sizes in everything. In every damn colour you have and style."

"Yes Mam." The two hurried off to fetch the other workers and in no time, after climbing every top shelf and scurrying through every rack, Sakura had 8 workers altogether, in line right outside the changing stall she was using, in their arms, piles and piles of clothes in hangers.

Syaoran sighed, shaking his head in disbelief, "Are you really trying on all of these?!"

"Yes. I would just _hate_ to have you sitting there, waiting all day." She replied sarcastically, "Just sit there and shut up."

He grunted and decided to have a little nap instead but before he could even decently settle into proper sleep, he felt someone poke him on his arm, "What do you think?"

Opening his eyes, he almost fell back as Sakura came into view wearing a cute, faint pink and white chequered backless top, held together by a thin ribbon around the neck and securing it in place by bowing it up at the back. She had tight white ¾ denim pants on with black heels which had lace straps that had to be tied all the way up to her knees.

"And you're suppose to wear this where?" he enquired dryly as she spun in front of him; he hated the fact that foreign eyes were on her, namely those drooling model guys.

"To go out where else? Isn't it so cute?"

"Hideous. Try the next one."

"Argh, fine."

The next she tried on was a plain, white summer dress which looked modest enough from the back but the moment she turned around to face him, he instantly ordered for her to change.

"This is already quite covered. I'm not a bloody nun Syaoran."

"Covered?! Your …_stuff_ are spilling in the front."

"My breasts have every right to do what they naturally do," Sakura said, rolling her eyes, "You sound like my overprotective grandpa."

"Next!"

"Damn it, you're a pain. Just go back to sleep."

"No way. I can't believe I even thought of leaving you to choose your own clothes. Good God."

Sakura returned to the dressing room and tried on something else glumly, "What about this?"

He looked up and finally smiled in approval, "Not bad."

"I knew it, you old fashioned prick." She tutted unhappily, tugging at the baby blue shirt she had on which had a high neck line and covered pretty much all of her torso except for her arms.

"Stick to this stuff okay?"

"If a girl walked past you wearing this stuff, I bet you wouldn't even give them a second glance," she said stubbornly, returning to the change rooms. He only smiled in response; all he knew was that this girl was so clueless. Everything she tried on managed to look stunning no her, even that stupid plain shirt complimented her features. Not that he was ever going to tell her that.

"No need. Now I know!" she called out from inside the changing room, thankful that she was out of his sight as she was practically blushing like a tomato.

"Stop doing that!" he called back, "that was a personal thought!"

"I can't help it," she exclaimed in defence, "You never _**EVER**_ say what you really mean. And it's really frustrating you know that?"

He grunted and expectantly looked up when the change room door opened revealing Sakura in the same clothes Meiling had let her borrow.

"You're not going to try out the other ones?"

"Nah, let's check out the next room." He stood up and nodded his head in agreement. He walked ahead settling himself on a chair beside the changing rooms on the other room. Sakura grinned and quickly went through the other clothes the helpers had in their arms, "I'm going to take this one too, this, that…this…this …that. Can you bag them now for me before he sees them?"

One of the tall men nodded his head and hurried off with the clothes she hand-picked, "Hey! Don't forget that cute pink chequered top I tried on first."

The next room, to Sakura's delight had a punk theme to it. The shelves were filled with black shirts with cool prints on them. Syaoran sighed and immediately stood up from his sit, "I doubt you'll want anything from here do you? Let's hurry on to the next room."

Before she could protest, he was already out the door, heading to the next room. Sakura hurried to the closest shelf to her and took out 5 different black printed tops, "I want these please, one of those black tight jeans right there," she pointed and turned her attention to the other part of the room, "God, and see that lace black and red corset right there? That too, the skull necklace over there, 2 black patterned stockings, 3 tights, those studded belts and that choker."

"Yes Mam." Sakura followed her "boyfriend" to the next room, leaving the helpers scurrying for everything she asked for, carefully bagging and packing all the items.

Syaoran blended perfectly in the next room, it held preppy-styled clothing and he was pleased to see there was one such room. He already went around himself while she was looking in the previous room, a pile of finely knitted clothes were already in the change room. She stomped straight to the change room and started to change, she knew she had no choice – besides she practically got the ones she wanted without his knowledge anyway.

She came out first with a high-waisted black skirt which went down to her knees and tucked in as her top was a white satin blouse which matched her white stilettos. She looked in the mirror and couldn't help but admit that it didn't look bad at all. It was sophisticated, classy and a bit conservative but it was sexy. "Syaoran! Do you want to see or not?"

He turned to look at her from the other side of the room and just nodded his head. She sighed and returned back to the change rooms, "No harm in saying, yes it looks great" she murmured to herself. Syaoran was like an unfeeling, brick wall unable to mutter a single compliment. She was growing used to it.

He approved every single outfit she tried on after that and added three more coats, leather boots, hats, scarves and different styled shoes and heels. Of course, she had the chance yet again to sneak in a couple of flirty-preppy clothes when he ventured ahead of her. She couldn't believe that he purposely missed a particular Dolce and Gabbana dress! The moment she stepped into the fourth room, there was no question that she was exhausted and fatigued. She had already probably tried on 100 or so outfits and her head was starting to hurt. Though, all sense of dreariness seemed to disintegrate as she realised that the fourth room held formal clothing and gowns. She nearly died from their beauty and splendour.

"Pick 3 and hurry so we can go to the last room already." Syaoran ordered and sat by the change rooms again.

"I want that red one, that black one and that pink one please," she said to the assistant, "I'll take those, they're my size so I'm sure they'll fit okay."

"You're not going to try them on?" Syaoran asked, he actually wanted to see her try out these dresses.

"It'll be fine, let' go."

"Whatever you say."

The last and final room held accessories and jewellery of all sorts and brands. There were also cosmetics and perfumes on one corner and more shoes on the other. Syaoran left Sakura to choose whatever she pleased as he leaned against the register desk. He looked down to his wrist watch and sighed, "Bloody hell, we practically spent the whole day here." It was nearly 5 in the afternoon.

Sakura returned beside him, piling up everything she had chosen by the register, "That's everything."

Syaoran called out to an employee and ordered for everything to be carried to his car, "Here's the key, just put everything in the trunk and the back seat. One more thing, do you sell suitcases here?"

"Yes Sir."

"Perfect. See all those clothes, put them all in suitcases. I'll get them too."

"Yes Sir."

"I want to pay now. Get someone to fix this all up for me."

One of the girls rushed in to tend to the register, handing Syaoran a long list of all the things he had purchased. The list ran for nearly 6 pages and as Sakura looked over his shoulder in curiosity of what it was, she nearly fainted as she managed to see the grand total printed boldly in the last page.

"Oh my god, that's a lot. Syaoran let me get rid of stuff."

"What for?" he grunted, handing his credit card to the girl, "It's fine."

"I'll feel too guilty!"

"Good, feel as guilty as you can possibly feel."

Sakura slapped him on the arm and reached out for his credit card, "Can I have that back please?"

The girl looked at them uneasily, unsure of what to do. Syaoran nodded his head to signal the girl to do it but Sakura was shaking her head, convincing her not to do it.

Another helper approached them out of nowhere with a wide smile much to the girl's relief, "Sir, before you go, I have been ordered to show you the sixth room."

Syaoran raised a brow, "I thought there was only five?"

With Syaoran's attention diverted, Sakura vaulted unto the desk and snatched Syaoran's credit card with a triumphant look on her face.

"The sixth room is exclusive to special costumers sir, and it is only granted to those the madam has allowed."

"What's in it?" he asked, looking at Sakura's sneering face, "We're not going to bother if we don't need to."

"But I must insist, I have been ordered to make sure to show you the room. You will not be disappointed with the Sweet Lolita range."

"Sweet Lolita?" he asked absently, if he remembered correctly when he had called Eriol earlier, he had heard Tomoyo say something about the particular range. "Fine, let's go."

Sakura pocketed his credit card and skipped ahead with the helper who was leading them the way unto a passageway to the back. Syaoran rolled his eyes at Sakura's back and turned to the cashier girl, "Charge it straight to my personal account."

"Yes Sir."

They stepped into a darkened room, Sakura could barely see anything. Behind her, Syaoran was tapping his foot impatiently; he couldn't see a thing either.

"I'll just go and turn the light on, wait a moment." The helper said simply, his footsteps gradually disappearing as he walked straight ahead into the darkness. Sakura couldn't help but wonder as to how in hell he didn't trip or walk straight unto something. She turned around to where Syaoran was supposed to be but naturally she couldn't be sure since it was so dark so she reached out and tried to feel for him.

"What is it?" he asked as he felt her fingers caress his chest, "Scared?"

"No." she denied indignantly but quietly sighed when she was assured that he was near. It wasn't her fault that he breathed so silently that he might as well not have been there.

He lifted his own hand and took hers from his chest, squeezing it to reassure her, "I'm just here don't worry."

She blushed a deep red, as much as she was tempted to brush away his grasp, his hand somewhat made her less frightened. The darkness reminded her of the same darkness she had struggled with when she had been unconscious. That same feeling of failure and doom crept to her mind accompanied by a nipping sense of loneliness. There was no way in hell that she would fail to go back home.

She jumped in surprise as the huge light bulbs overhead came to life one by one, emitting peculiar red beams of light. Once all the lights were lit, she looked at her surroundings and gasped in embarrassment. She didn't dare turn around to look at Syaoran as she knew he would have been blushing as well.

In front of them were shelf after shelf of kinky lingerie, leather, metal, feathers… Sakura became wide eyed with the variety. In the corners were huge glass cubes with mannequins inside wearing the merchandise and posing raunchily… in all sorts of unimaginable angles. The helper came back with a cheeky grin, "Once the shock passes, I can assure you that you'll be able to look around and appreciate what we have here."

Sakura giggled uncertainly and nudged Syaoran, "Heard that, let the shock pass…."

"I know, I heard. **I'm going to kill Eriol**."

After a few more minutes, Sakura started wandering around, realising that the helper was true to his words. Walking past the erotic section, she found the real good stuff: Victoria's Secret, Simone Perele, I.D. Sarrieri, DKNY, Felina… It wasn't long until she had a whole basketful and was grinning like an idiot.

Syaoran walked up to her with two Jezebel silk night gowns and shoved it in her basket, "Are you nearly done?"

"Are these for me or your girl friend?" she asked curiously, fingering the fine material, "They're so pretty."

"Are you done?" he asked again, walking to the door. _Yuri wouldn't even come close to looking good in those._

"Thanks Syaoran!" she called out after him, "And who's Yuri?" She figured it was non other than his current girl friend. But she could really care less; she was the happiest person at that moment without question…. Who would have thought the almighty brick wall would spend senseless on her?

She watched as he headed straight for the parking lot, she felt his credit card in her pocket and ran after him, "Idiot! We haven't paid for the stuff!"

"I already did." He retorted with a smirk that made her shake her head in disbelief, "Hurry up, Eriol's been expecting us since 4, it's like 7 already."

"How did you pay for it when I've had your credit card all this time?!"

"Get in the car."

They reached Eriol's place at 8 o'clock that night, Sakura was looking forward to meeting this cousin Syaoran always muttered about. She wasn't surprised to find a looming mansion similar and as big as the one Syaoran's family had. The garden was as expansive as well and there was a huge, marble fountain in the middle of the driveway. The building itself on the other hand had an exquisite grand entrance with white marble pillars surrounding it. Two butlers waited by the door and instantly bowed down as Syaoran and Sakura got out of their car. Even the men tending to the garden bowed down as they passed by them while they were in the car.

She followed him quietly inside the mansion and was surprised to be welcomed instantly by a tall, cheery guy with midnight blue hair. A stunning girl with long raven hair and amethyst eyes stood beside him, their arms linked tightly. Was this the infamous cousin who Syaoran have threatened to kill numerous times for meddling with his life? She didn't get that vibe from him at all; he seemed very mature, graceful and friendly.

"Ah finally, we thought you wouldn't show up!" Eriol cooed and glanced down at Sakura, smiling at her warmly, "You must be Sakura."

Sakura beamed in return and remembering that she was suppose to French, confidently went up to the couple and kissed them one by one on both cheeks. "Echante!" (Pleasure!)

Tomoyo giggled and accepted the gesture, "You are so pretty! When Eriol told me about you, I didn't know what to think, I mean, now I'm glad I didn't let him host you. He'll be drooling over you girl!"

Sakura reddened and shook her head, "I don't think there will be a need if he has a girl friend as stunning as you."

Eriol walked to Syaoran and nudged him, "I thought she wasn't French?"

"She isn't." he grumbled.

"Could have fooled me."

"How did you find my store hm?" Tomoyo asked excitedly, "Did you like it?"

"Liked it??!" Sakura gushed, "I loved it! I would live there if I could!"

Somehow they ended up sitting in one of the lower verandas, sipping old-fashioned English tea. Tomoyo and Sakura were huddled together in blankets in a soft lounge while Eriol and Syaoran sat properly by a glass table.

"I heard you're going to start school tomorrow?" Tomoyo asked, sipping some more from her mug.

"Yeah, I'm actually kind of nervous."

"You'll be fine, don't worry. You'll have Syaoran to show you around campus since he'll be responsible for you while you're here in Japan."

"Hopefully we'll have some classes together."

Tomoyo grinned, "Yeah you have three with me: English, Math and Latin."

"How do you know?" Sakura asked curiously slightly surprised, "I don't even know what classes I'm taking yet!?"

"Didn't you know? You'll have the exact timetable as Syaoran." Sakura's eyes widened, she was slowly realising just how many strings Syaoran had to pull to get her into their school and he also had no choice but to find a way to get her into every single class he took. She wasn't going to be able to wander off from him after all.

"So if that Yuri girl gives you trouble, tell me and I'll deal with her okay?"

"Yuri?" Sakura had heard this name already before.

"Yeah, Syaoran's current girl friend," Tomoyo said thoughtfully, "To be honest, she can be quite scary, clingy and over protective. I never really got along wit her. I don't know what Syaoran sees in her."

Eriol overheard this and chuckled, "The answer to that is simple darling Moyo, she serves as the perfect combat Barbie that defends Syaoran from all the other scary, clingy, overprotective girls that run after him."

"I can't help it that I'm so irresistible," Syaoran muttered happily, "I have no complaints, and she does the job quite well."

"She'll eat Sakura alive tomorrow you know that?" Tomoyo stated, sipping some of the hot chocolate from her mug, "Yuri doesn't do too well with people that intimidate her throne."

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself. I'm no push over," Sakura smiled, "And she can have Syaoran to herself all she wants."

Syaoran feigned hurt by clutching at his heart, "You heartless woman!"

The four laughed whole-heartedly, unaware of how time was passing by so quickly. It wasn't long until Syaoran urged Sakura to get up and they headed to the car to head home. Eriol and Tomoyo escorted them to the front entrance of the mansion and bid them both good night. They watched as the black Porsche drove out of the drive way and as it disappeared out of sight, the couple looked at each other knowingly.

"Those two are so going to end up together, I can feel it!" Tomoyo said, leaning her head gently unto Eriol's shoulder, "What do you think?"

He nodded his head quietly and led her inside; he couldn't deny the extent of his curiosity. Syaoran had been very vague with the details about Sakura; he just prompted him to do the necessary bribing and what not. Being the nice cousin that he was, he didn't dwell much on asking questions. But now that he had met this stranger, she was everything he thought she wouldn't be. She was decent, well mannered, educated, sophisticated and pleasant. Eriol couldn't understand the reason for all the secrecy… but he would deal with the latter some other day.

Sakura slumped in bed with a sigh, she was so tired. It was nearly midnight, they had arrived home just mere 2 hours ago but she was whisked away by Meiling the instant she stepped into the mansion. They engaged in a long, casual French conversation in the kitchen as Meiling ate some biscuits and Sakura couldn't excuse herself until Meiling herself decided to retire for the day. Sakura found her very captivating, the moment they started talking, Sakura didn't even realise an hour had passed. Meiling was very opinionated and possessed a charming sense of humour. Sakura knew that they would get along very well.

Her thoughts were abruptly cut short by a knock on the door. Sitting up, she urged for the person outside to come in. She shook her head in disbelief when Syaoran's mop of chocolate, unruly hair came into view, "Still not in bed? I don't know about you but I'm exhausted!"

He chuckled and stepped into her room, brushing his hair out of his eyes in a gesture to hide the slight embarrassment he felt.

Sakura raised a brow, "Are you okay?"

"Actually," he said quietly, looking at her straight in the eye, "I wanted to discuss my first wish."

She gasped in surprise and motioned for him to close the door behind him, "Sit down."

Syaoran hesitantly took a sit by the end of her bed, on the floor, facing away from her, "I've actually been thinking about this for awhile now."

"What exactly have you got in mind?" she asked gently, ignoring the weird tension between them. Sakura could sense his discomfort and slight desperation. She knew that he still felt at odd with the whole situation, he still most likely find it hard to believe that she truly had the power to grant him his desires.

"Well?"

"I wish…" she could barely hear his voice but she did not need to hear it all to know. With those 2 simple summoning words, blinding light radiated from Sakura's form and when Syaoran managed to turn his head to look at her, he almost toppled back in disbelief.

Lying seductively on the bed was Sakura, dressed no longer in her silk green pajamas but in the same red corset and shorts that she had been wearing when he first met her. She was like a whole different person, stripped of innocence.

She looked at him with her piercing emerald eyes, beckoning him with a long perfectly manicured index finger, "Come here and tell me your wish."

He rose to his feet, clearly bewildered, "Sakura?"

"Yes, that is my name," she slurred in a piercing, sweet-dripping voice, "Don't look so surprised, this is genie protocol, it's only right I look like one when I grant you your wish right?" She grinned.

He exhaled in relief, "Woman! And here I am thinking you've been possessed!"

"Nope! Body, heart and soul… still Sakura," she assured him and laughed, "You should have seen the look on your face!"

"I can't believe this," he stated dryly, his cheeks red in embarrassment, "So what's going to happen now?" He looked away; he didn't like seeing her in such skimpy attire that drove his male hormones in hysterics.

"I do have the power to grant you what you want… but are you positive that you're not going to regret it? Remember, once I grant a wish, its permanent and irreversible."

He nodded, his eyes darkening and turning sombre. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him, "Things happen for a reason Syaoran… perhaps you should come and speak to me about this again when you have a clear head."

"No," he grunted impatiently, "I'm sure I want his… "

Closing her eyes, Sakura penetrated his mind, slightly flinching against the darkness, sadness and loneliness dwelling there.

The last thing she heard was his yearning voice,

"I want her…"

Before the power within her surged out and she knew in her heart that she had granted him the thing that will change his life.

_Four more wishes to go…_

* * *

A/N: yes yes more boring stuff.. i deeply sincerely apologise for the delay. iv had this chapter for a month on mah comp but i didnt wana post it cuz i got annoyed wif it but then i cldnt write anything else so just figured i'l post it then. im sorry if it was a let down... and if u havent noticed lol! yes mah writing simply deteriorates as chapters go on... perahps its the lack of interest on mah behalf. u know wen ur so pumped up for a new story..most of the tym such enthusiasm just naturally dies down..and re reading the crap got me even more pissed off... arghhh everything's such a mess!! and mah writing is givin me the shits -.-

but i do promise to finish this thing even if it kills me. i already know the story line... the only problem is mah committment to keep writing.

as always, any flame, comments, suggestions... death threats for the inhumanely slow update

are all welcum.

much luv..the authoress. (whu herself knows she sucks :P)


	7. The calm before the storm

**PREVIOUS CHAPTER:**

"I do have the power to grant you what you want… but are you positive that you're not going to regret it? Remember, once I grant a wish, its permanent and irreversible."

He nodded, his eyes darkening and turning sombre. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him, "Things happen for a reason Syaoran… perhaps you should come and speak to me about this again when you have a clear head."

"No," he grunted impatiently, "I'm sure I want his… "

Closing her eyes, Sakura penetrated his mind, slightly flinching against the darkness, sadness and loneliness dwelling there.

The last thing she heard was his yearning voice,

"I want her…"

Before the power within her surged out and she knew in her heart that she had granted him the thing that will change his life.

_Four more wishes to go…_

* * *

Syaoran blinked once and then twice, slightly dazed but feeling indifferent. Everything around him looked the same; everything with in him felt the same. He glanced up at Sakura and found the genie clothed back in her green pajamas, sleeping soundly on the linen sheets. She had used up all her energy in granting him his wish -- if his wish was granted at all. He could not help but feel slightly skeptical and doubtful about the whole situation but he knew that tomorrow would decide his fate and ultimately his happiness. Unable to push away his chaotic thoughts, he got up to his feet and headed for his own room.

"Good night Sakura," he said softly before closing the door behind him.

"Good night," Sakura mouthed silently, her eyes slowly opening, "Syaoran." She couldn't tear her gaze away from the door despite the darkness that enveloped the room. Her mind was, like his, a chaotic realm of flashing thoughts and overwhelming emotions. Overlapping the happiness apparent in her heart for being a step closer to returning home was something akin to loss. She didn't understand even the slightest bit, why in the world she felt so confused.

Moving on to a more pressing matter, she bit down on her lip and clutched at her aching stomach. Tomorrow should be a day to remember... especially for clueless, helpless Syaoran.

* * *

Syaoran groaned and muttered incoherently as he struggled to begin his plight of gaining some sort of consciousness. He had felt and experienced a great deal in his 19 years of life but the quaint feeling uncoiling in his gut that very moment was nothing he had ever experienced before. Something in him told him that he was going to have a god-awful day.

Bright light penetrated through his lashes as he forced his eyes open, attempting to bat away the intrusive rays of sunshine streaming through the window with his heavy arms. Untangling himself from the bed linen, he limped to the bathroom, eager to have a nice, cold shower. It was Friday and he had promised his mother the last time he had spoken to her that he was going to go to school that day. He had already missed one whole week; catching up on everything would prove to be quite problematic. He groaned helplessly. Latin would literally kill him and bury him alive.

His brain barely registered his actions as he took out hanger after hanger of clothing from his expansive closet. The first hanger had a dark blue blazer, thick and neatly ironed, with golden piping on its seams and an intricate, finely woven emblem on its left chest. Underneath it was a woolen black vest that held the same emblem on its left breast. The second carried a plain white Ralph Lauren polo shirt with a gray tie folded carefully around its collar. The third was adorned with a pair of ironed black pants. Fishing for his undergarments proved to be quite tricky with his lack of inhibition but he had managed to bend over and open the last and lowest drawer and take with him what he needed. If he had a say on the matter, he wouldn't usually make this so inconvenient for himself but he had to pick an inconspicuous place for his under things seeing as Meiling had an unruly habit of snooping in his room whenever she felt like it. She would brush off his complaints and scold him bitingly that they were family and so it shouldn't matter. His beloved cousin seemed to possess no regard for other people's privacy except when it came to her own.

His trek to the shower proved to be even trickier, swaying here and there and getting poked and swiped at by sharp edges of numerous cabinets, "Ugh, holy f--". In the very least, his vocabulary seemed to be slowly returning to his hazy brain quite nicely.

The very moment he felt the cold spray of water hit his skin, he was instantly heaved out of his sleepiness. Despite the world finally returning to its normal axis, the uneasiness in his gut did not wade away as he proceeded to do his morning routine of shaving, brushing his teeth, combing his mop of brown hair, getting dressed and spraying his usual cologne. Lastly, he lazily pulled on his socks and wore his black school shoes. Standing up, he faced the dresser mirror and looked at himself. There were still hints of fatigue visible on his face particularly the darkened shadows underneath his eyes. He figured that it would take more than one good night sleep to rid himself of them. His amber eyes however had returned to their usual brightness, free of the dullness that settled there during his roller coaster of a week. Which reminded him, he had not yet woken the genie and they were already late.

He grabbed his Rolex from the dresser and rushed out of the bathroom only to bump into a blur of a dark blue thing that turned out to be Sakura. She bounced off his chest and fell back almost instantaneously, arms and legs flailing helplessly into an ungraceful heap on the carpet floor. Cursing, she pulled down her dark blue skirt that had settled quite indecently after her fall and glared up at the bull of a culprit. Before Syaoran could open his mouth to begin his long parade of nicely worded apologies, he was struck by some invisible force and found himself flying back to the cold tiled floor of his bathroom.

"Holy f--" he stammered in surprise that quickly turned into anger when he realized what had just happened, "Damn it Sakura! I was going to say sorry!"

"Say that to my bruised ass," she replied, standing up and brushing down her skirt. She walked to the bathroom and watched him as he pushed himself to his feet, "Good morning classmate! Guess what day it is today?" The sudden glee and sweetness in her voice literally gave him the chills. Her effortless transitions from one emotion to another frightened him, almost as much as when Meiling had her routine PMS every first week of every month. A frightening thought dawned on him then – though Meiling would be easy enough to avoid during her hissy PMS days, Sakura on the other hand would be stuck to him whether he liked it or not, 24 hours a day. Sakura with PMS was unimaginable and he would need to be there for every freaking second of it, receiving every unreasonable verbal and physical abuse thrown at him. _Women are so bloody hormonal. _

Once he was on his feet, he glared back at her and straightened himself. "Normal people don't do this kind of thing, you know that right?" he asked in an irritated tone, "You can't go around pulverizing people with that power of yours if someone upsets you in school." There was no doubt that he was glad, happy even, that she was bouncing around like her usual self but he could sure live without the baggage of these confrontations that left him victimized and fuming. He was beginning to develop a case of 'bad mood' syndrome and it was barely 9 in the morning!

Anyone who knew Syaoran or knew of him would most likely be knowledgeable of the fact that although he came out as a rich, unlikeable snob, he possessed a great deal of integrity and charisma. He was the kind of person to win council presidential elections without even running for it. By 'normal people' standards, his daily attitude would be classified as 'bad mood' so most students approached him with obvious hesitation but that did not stop his sea of unrelenting admirers from showering him with their unwelcomed presence. Yuri came handy in that department. But it had been a while since he last had the rampaging aggravation stirring horridly in the pits of his stomach at that very moment and it was threatening to erupt.

"Yeah I know," she tutted happily with a wave of her hand, "this special treatment is exclusive to you and you only, sweet right?"

He bit down a growl and willed himself to calm down. He looked at her properly and realised that she was already all dressed and ready in the school uniform they had picked up at Eriol's the day before, her emerald eyes as alive and her face as animated as ever. He could tell she was deliriously excited for her first day of school, her giddiness was emitting from her entire form down to the rosiness in her soft contoured cheeks. She was a sight to behold in the morning; it was hard to deny that fact.

He pushed that last lingering thought the best that he could from his mind and walked past her into his room, snatching his bag from the floor and heading towards the door, "Let's grab some breakfast and get the hell out of here. We're already late."

"Yep." Sakura grinned, following the stomping Syaoran out of his room and down to the kitchen. She caught up beside him as he was walking down the stairs, matching his long, powerful stomps. She neared him in an obvious manner and sniffed at his shoulder like a lost puppy, "You smell really nice. Like really really really nice."

Syaoran looked down at her with a raised brow, his irritation eminent in his amber orbs, "Thank you...I think?"

"Why, you're welcome Syaoran," she tutted, her smile widening in an odd and frightening sort of way. He visibly shuddered for the second time that morning, wisely muting his concerns about her behaviour. He hurried to the kitchen and ignored her blatant display of mindless singing and dancing. _She's acting more abnormal than her usual abnormal self._

If Sakura had heard or sensed that thought in his mind, she didn't say or do anything which warranted more worry than anything else. Something was amiss and Syaoran knew he would be receiving the burnt end of the stick one way or the other soon enough.

The dining room was a bundle of aromas – from freshly cooked ham and bacon, eggs, various marmalades, loaves of every kind of bread imaginable, a basketful of oranges, bananas and apples, other assorted fruits that had been peeled and exquisitely shaped by fancy knives – a banquet fit for a king. Eating like a refined queen in her throne, Meiling elegantly went about slicing and forking her food, taking her time as if she weren't late enough as it was. Adorned in her own school uniform, though looking like anything but a student, she instantly brightened at the sight of Sakura, gesturing for her to sit next to her. Syaoran silently groaned at the sight of his cousin, he had a feeling she had been waiting diligently for them to join her for quite some time.

"Bonjour Sakura!" Meiling greeted pleasantly and then turned to her scowling cousin who was emitting a deadly 'bad mood' aura from all the way across the room, "Mornin' Syaoran. It's awfully windy outside you know?"

He grunted and sat himself down, "What's that got to do with anything?"

"A bad breeze might just chance its way to your scowling face and make it permanently ugly." she stated bluntly, "Breathe in, breathe out... breathe in, breathe out... smile." Syaoran watched as she demonstrated her words, his scowl growing even darker than before. Meiling turned from him, immuned to his glare and focused her attention to the unsuspecting Sakura.

"You slept well?" Meiling asked, "The mighty Mr. Frosty didn't bother you did he?"

"Mr. Frosty?" Sakura repeated and then shook her head to indicate that no, Syaoran hadn't visited her. Meiling didn't need to know that Syaoran did indeed come by, and that he made his first wish known to her. Sakura with no question liked Meiling and knew she would be great to have around. But she also knew from her brief study of Meiling's personality and the way she acted that she could be quite sharp and would easily detect anything out of place. They needed to be as inconspicuous as possible, especially with the kind of secret Syaoran and Sakura had between them. The punishments installed if any law in Sakura's world was to be broken were explicitly severe; it was Sakura's responsibility to protect Syaoran and his family from having to face them.

Meiling laughed and smiled, "If you end up getting close enough to anybody in school today, I'm sure you'll hear all sorts of names people tend to call Syaoran. Mr. Frosty happens to be my contribution. I like Eriol's too. Ask him for his list." Unnoticed by both Sakura and Syaoran, Meiling had slightly raised a brow at the outright lie Sakura had just spurted out of her lips. Meiling knew Syaoran had been in Sakura's room the night before. She saw him go into her room with her own two eyes.

"I'll be sure to ask then," Sakura replied cheerily and proceeded to scan the table for what she felt like eating. To her surprise, spread out in front of her was a plate of croissants, bottles of different flavoured marmalades, a tub of butter and beside it, a tub of margarine. To her side, there was also a tub of mango-flavoured yoghurt and a plate filled with assorted cheese. From their smell, Sakura knew they were genuine French cheese, down to the Camembert.

Meiling's smile widened, "Straight from the French restaurant in the city this morning. I thought you'd want to eat something familiar until you get used to everything else."

Sakura brightened and thanked Meiling whole-heartedly, expertly controlling the expression on her face. She had been quick enough to show some sort of surprise and familiarisation on her face to prevent any suspicion. Syaoran nearly fell out of his chair on the other side of the table. His cousin was relentlessly too hospitable even for her own bloody good.

Breakfast proceeded unceremoniously from there, or so Syaoran thought. The two girls chattered on like he wasn't there, to his relief. His bad mood wasn't giving any indication of going away anytime soon. By the time both Sakura and Syaoran arrived at their school, it was fourth period, the class before lunch. Syaoran groaned miserably, it was his not-so-favourite Latin class.

Beside him, Sakura took in her surroundings like a sponge. Syaoran drove through towering pillars that held a gigantic black gate; on its crown was a sophisticated sign that read: Tomoeda High Private Academy. The walls erected around the entirety of the establishment also towered intimidatingly, lavished with thick, green vines and lily-like flower bulbs. Three guards patrolled the gates, all of them wearing identical black uniforms and unfriendly looks on their stern faces. They instantly gave them access to the school grounds though, their face brightening at the sight of Syaoran's car. At Sakura's inquiry, he irritably explained that his car was the only kind in the whole campus. By the look of the prestigious school looming ahead of them, Sakura knew that anybody could easily afford the same car, but it was instead, merely the question of who dared to drive the same car as the almighty _Ice King_.

Out of curiosity, Sakura turned to Syaoran and asked, "Would it bother you if somebody else drove the same car?"

He grunted in reply, a hint of a smirk on his face, "Nobody said they couldn't. They just don't... and really shouldn't."

"What if someone suddenly does?"

"But the thing is no one would."

"But what if somebody _actually_ does?"

He looked at her with an annoyed face, "For the love of god woman."

"I'm just saying, what IF somebody does?" she probed stubbornly, "Like seriously? Stop being stupid."

"Stop asking stupid questions then," He retorted, his eyes on the road, "You're asking something that will never happen. So stop asking."

Sakura shook her head in disbelief; he was too damn proud and cocky. She shifted in her chair and looked out the window, devouring the garden with her wide, emerald eyes. From the gate that they entered from, the road forked out into 5 long roads. Syaoran began to narrate monotonously, playing the dull tour guide, "One leads to the stables, one to the main building, one to the general lake and garden area, one to the sports arena and the last one goes to the arts building."

"What if its a different color?" Sakura argued, returning to their previous topic of conversation.

Syaoran frowned and looked at her in confusion, "Different color what?"

"The car Syaoran, the dumb car."

He rolled his eyes and didn't bother replying. She just didn't know when to stop.

They drove on the road that led to the main building. The blooming garden in the outskirt of the road was breath-taking. Cherry blossom trees stood proudly one after the other on either side of the road, sprinkling them with thousands of dancing pink petals floating weightlessly against the soft, spring breeze. The sight of them tugged a soft, beautiful smile on her face. Just in time as if by fate, Syaoran turned to look at her and nearly drove off the road when he witnessed it. The car swerved slightly but Sakura didn't seem to notice. Thankfully, Syaoran's mind remained blank but that didn't stop his heart from pounding uncontrollably. He didn't know if it was because he nearly crashed against a thick-trunked cherry blossom tree or if Sakura enchanted her smiles with inhumane magic but he didn't dare dwell on it. He left the genie to senselessly smile whilst staring outside the window without a word.

"By the way," Sakura randomly tutted, "I started my monthlies today. Just so you know."

Syaoran's face instantly contorted from a blank and focused expression to one of horror and slight disgust. "Why in hell do I have to know?"

"Because Syaoran," she started with a sweet, innocent grin, "This whole week will be quite memorable for you."

"And why, pray tell, would that be the case?" Fear suddenly began to creep slowly but painfully in his gut. He had the feeling that his edgy start that morning had to do with what he was about to hear.

"Remember when I told you that for me to exist in your world to grant you your wishes, I'm currently sharing your life line?"

"If I tell you that I don't remember, can the problem that's about to hit me right now just go away?" he asked, almost pleadingly. He almost died when Sakura continued on without much care for what he just said.

"The shared life line we have kind of goes both ways."

"And?" He asked, bracing himself for her next words, "And what?"

"How does being the first ever guy in the face of the earth to experience PMS sound to you?" she cheerfully asked, watching as his expression turned sour.

"WHAT?!"

* * *

**A/N:** damn, it's been ages. And to prove my point, ff . net seemed to have evolved in the long months I've been gone and has added all these fancy things that I don't even know how to use. But hi everyone ) it's great to be back.

As usual, all reviews, comments, suggestions, complaints blah blah are all welcome. I deserve some yelling after all, the last I updated was like last year? How pathetic. But next chapter on the way. Thanks for all your support that I would be nowhere without. s2 -koiishii


	8. The calm before the storm 2

**A/N:** Hopefully the first wish business get cleared up here :D Sorry for all the confusion. Syaoran with PMS, here we go...

****

**MY ONLY WISH**

PREVIOUSLY:

"By the way," Sakura randomly tutted, "I started my monthlies today. Just so you know."

Syaoran's face instantly contorted from a blank and focused expression to one of horror and slight disgust. "Why in hell do I have to know?"

"Because Syaoran," she started with a sweet, innocent grin, "This whole week will be quite memorable for you."

"And why, pray tell, would that be the case?" Fear suddenly began to creep slowly but painfully in his gut. He had the feeling that his edgy start that morning had to do with what he was about to hear.

"Remember when I told you that for me to exist in your world to grant you your wishes, I'm currently sharing your life line?"

"If I tell you that I don't remember, can the problem that's about to hit me right now just go away?" he asked, almost pleadingly. He almost died when Sakura continued on without much care for what he just said.

"The shared life line we have kind of goes both ways."

"And?" He asked, bracing himself for her next words, "And what?"

"How does being the first ever guy in the face of the earth to experience PMS sound to you?" she cheerfully asked, watching as his expression turned sour.

"WHAT?!"

* * *

**CHAPTER EIGHT: The Calm before the storm 2**

Watching Syaoran's facial contortions along with his resourceful dictation of every word of profanity in existence, it was like watching fireworks explode again and again. He would stop for a breath for a second then fire up again, face all red in agitation. Sakura had seen many scary things in her life but not as scary as what she was seeing. Her fingers were tightly gripping the chair she sat on, gluing her bottom as firmly as she could on the chair without being pitched forward or from side to side. Syaoran's foot was pressed too heavily on the accelerator and Sakura had the feeling that even he hadn't realised it. They were zooming through the road like a racing car on its last lap heading for the finish line, petals squished under screeching rubber tyres.

"Syaoran!" Sakura called out, "Slow down!" At first her voice didn't seem to register in his head. It seemed that she had sparked his first hormonal tantrum. What awful timing. After a few minutes of praying for her life, Sakura felt the car suddenly slow to a turtle speed of 20 km per hour. She was about to conjure some sort of magic to unearth a tree trunk and use it to block their path but there was a great chance that she didn't possess enough magic to accomplish such an action. She was still weakened from granting him his wish the night before and it would take a few days for her to regain the full extent of her magical abilities. Genies were like batteries in that sense – when they stayed in the human world and shared a lifeline with their host, they do not possess an unlimited source of power.

When some of his surprise and anger had abated, he got a hold of himself and slowed down. He looked at her angrily and gritted his teeth, "Argh! I can't believe this!"

Finally letting go of the breath she had sucked in awhile ago Sakura let go of the chair and looked up at him, "Calm down, I understand you're hormonal right now but you're going to get both of us killed."

There were no words that could explain the bubbling frustration and rage unfurling inside him. He felt like screaming, biting, punching, kicking and crying all at the same time. He turned away from her and kept his amber eyes focused outside, still gritting his teeth. He couldn't understand or control himself and before he knew it, his eyes were starting to water. He had the biggest urge to cry at that moment and run head on unto a brick wall for some unexplainable reason. Syaoran frowned, this wasn't going to work. He couldn't show up at school the way he was going.

"Make it stop damn it," he demanded angrily, "Why the fuck am I crying?"

"Calm down," she said, "You're only going to get even more emotional if you don't calm down."

He stopped the car in the middle of the road and rested his head on top of his hands on the stirring wheel, hiding his face from her view. He hoped that by pressing his lids tightly against the back of his hands that it would instantly stop the flow of tears escaping from his eyes. It stopped but only marginally. Great rivers of salty tears were dripping from his chin and he couldn't stop them! Sakura didn't need to see his face because from the apparent trembling of his crouched torso, she knew by his breathing that he was crying. Crying in buckets and buckets.

"Bloody hell," she gushed wide-eyed, "You have suppressed emotional baggage issues."

"Be quiet!"

"No, seriously. Normal people cry once in awhile you know, how many years of un-cried baggage am I seeing right now?"

"Be quiet!" he suddenly screeched in the middle of a hiccup and a sob, "Damn it, make this stop! Now!"

"I told you, control yourself and calm down. If you calm down, it'll stop."

He shut his eyes tight and tried to find some balance and calm in the rampaging darkness with in him. It wasn't easy but he tried as hard as he could to empty his head and listen to the genie's suggestion. Within a minute or two, Syaoran had managed to stop the tears but his body was still suffering from the occasional tremor from the hiccups.

"I can't hiccup believe hiccup this," he drawled out, "How long hiccup is this hiccup going to bloo- hiccup -dy go on hiccup for?!"

"Three days in the least, if not, wouldn't be more than 7 days." Sakura answered truthfully, "But you should be okay. If you don't go overboard with your emotions, it wouldn't be as bad as this." She passed him a packet of tissue from her school bag.

"7 days?!" he yelped, feeling his insides stir again. He stiffened and quickly pressed a palm to his eyes. _I am Buddha. I am calm, peaceful and fat. I am immovable because I am calm and fat. I am Budha. Buddha Buddha Buddha._

"Listen," she said calmly, "If you try to remain as neutral as possible for the whole week, it's not going to take over. So from today, you're not allowed to get angry or pissy or anything. I mean, unless you want a repeat of this drama right here. Being like Buddha is a great idea!"

Syaoran straightened and attempted to shrug off the irritation taking over him. He could control this, he HAD to control this. _Buddha Buddha Buddha._

"You can't let anything get to you or else you're going to explode again."

"Urgh, might as well dress myself in a dress, wear some heels and while we're at it, slap on some make-up." he muttered with sarcasm, the scowl present on his face deepening.

"That's the spirit!"

_Buddha Buddha Buddha._

When Syaoran stepped into the main school building with Sakura not far from his heel, a woman of tall and lithe stature glided her way in front of Syaoran and immediately stopped him from walking any further. She was dressed in a professional black suit that flattered her small waist and long legs. Black framed glasses sat on the bridge of her nose magnifying two stern, black eyes that looked down on them with clear distaste.

Syaoran stared up at her placidly, managing to hide his struggle of maintaining his Buddha mantra behind a blank, uncaring facade. This was his first encounter with the woman who many students had fancied to label as 'The Vulture'. 'Ms. Vulture' happened to be the assigned Tardy officer who patrolled the front main building entrance for late students. Syaoran had never been late to school in his life but that day was his first, thanks to Meiling and Sakura who prattled on that morning with out a care in the world.

Sakura glared up at Syaoran. _Don't pin this on me. You were eating like a rampaging monkey who had never seen so much bananas in his life. And what the hell is wrong with this woman? _

Syaoran pushed her presence from his head and addressed the scowling vulture of a woman as calmly as he could. _Buddha. Buddha. Buddha._

"Mr. Li, may I inquire as to the reason of your tardiness this morning?" 'Ms. Vulture' asked authoritatively, each syllable pronounced with sharp precision, "I believe this will be your first tally." She glanced at Sakura, attempting to place a name to the face but when she couldn't, she returned her attention to Syaoran.

"I've been designated as Sakura Kinomoto's host for the duration of her stay here in Japan. She's an exchange student who will be staying with us for the rest of the year. I had to settle a lot of documents this morning for her stay that's why we're running late." Syaoran replied evenly, his expression unchanged. _Buddha Buddha Buddha._

'Ms. Vulture' looked at Sakura again, "Welcome to Tomoeda Private Ms. Kinomoto."

"Merci Beaucoup!" Sakura replied with a beam.

The woman smiled dryly in return and began to scribble something on a piece of paper. She handed the note to Syaoran and stepped out of their way, "Please proceed straight to your class. Please ensure that I don't catch you running late again. Have a good day." She turned and walked out of their sight, her high heels clicking and tapping on the marble floors.

"What's her problem?" Sakura asked with a raised brow, "It's like the whole world is having PMS today."

"She's just doing her job." he stated, walking to their Latin class, "She's actually one of the few teachers in this school who manages to do their job without being influenced by the prestige and wealth of the students here."

"What do you mean?"

"Bribe her and you land yourself a month of detention."

"Ah." Sakura liked her already.

The interior of Tomoeda Private was breath-taking. Even more so than its ostentatious exterior. The floor, if not marble, was covered in thick, lush wine-red carpet with golden borders on its edges. The crème walls were bright and eye-pleasing, as if newly painted. The wooden furniture were all polished to perfection, a welcoming hue of sophisticated dark mahogany with intricate coiling and swirling designs. Magnificent marble and granite statues graced the odd corners of the building, along with expansive oil paintings depicting the works of world renowned painters. There were also the occasional coffee-tables and cushioned chairs placed every now and then, with sophisticated vases holding a bouquet of freshly picked and assembled flowers. The school showcased its beauty, wealth and prestige without much restraint. Any average citizen would look like a pauper within its overwhelming grounds.

Sakura ogled her surroundings, especially loving the countless canvases of paintings that softened the interior features of the halls. There were paintings of stretching landscapes, abstract shapes and lines, portraits of people Sakura didn't know and some contemporary pieces that had textured layers that tempted her to touch them. Syaoran swatted her fingers with a look of warning.

"You're not allowed to touch them," Syaoran muttered, "These paintings are one of the most important assets of this school, if you get caught tampering with them, you'll get in really deep shit."

"How deep are we talking about here?" she asked, slightly hypnotised by the swirling colours of the piece in front of her, "I really like this one."

"Suspension, even expulsion. Some student got suspended a few years back for drawing a mustache on one of the portraits in the third floor. He had to pay almost a million dollars to get the painting fixed in Rome."

"He must have had a grudge." Sakura contemplated, turning away from the painting and following Syaoran down the long corridor.

"He said it looked like his mother."

"Then why would he do that?"

"Simply because he thought he had the right to do it. I'm not sure if it was really his mother. There's something you should know about the people in this place."

"And what's that?" she asked, pulling at the strap of her backpack. It was black with numerous pockets and the school emblem on the outside.

"Everyone acts all refined and educated in this place but in truth, most people are spoiled rotten, proud and pragmatic. Everyone is used to getting whatever they want but then they get enrolled in this place where they have to get used to the fact that they're not the only one anymore. So try not to piss off anyone, they're already struggling with their own inferiority complex."

"I already kind of got that message when I met you, but thanks for the word of warning."

"Seriously, don't piss off anyone."

"Okay, okay, I got it."

"And acting and speaking with a little bit of finesse wouldn't hurt either." Syaoran expressed flatly, "You _are_ supposed to be from France."

"Shut your trap." Sakura snapped, slightly pissed off, "I'll show you sophisticated."

They reached another long-winding corridor that had huge, clear glass doors on one side, doors that led to the gardens outside. Right opposite them were wooden door after wooden door that turned out to be entrances to the classrooms. Sakura could already hear the buzzing of voices within the rooms, the noise made her suddenly nervous.

Syaoran walked to the 4th door down the corridor and turned to Sakura, "Are you ready?"

She looked up at him and then at the thick wooden door in front of her, "I don't know."

Sensing her anxiety, he gave her a smirk, "What, too chicken?"

"You asking for some bashing?" Sakura asked in irritation, "Cos' I'm happy to comply."

"You'll be fine." he reassured her, lifting his hand to knock on the door.

She suddenly reached up and stopped his knuckle from reaching the wood, enclosing her small fingers around his, "Wait a second." She breathed in a mouthful of air, exhaled loudly and nodded at him to signal that she was ready. Syoaran gave her a nod in return and lightly tapped on the door, opening it when he had heard the teacher give his permission. Overbearing silence welcomed them, along with twenty-four pairs of inquisitive eyes. At that moment, Sakura wished she could just vanish.

Indifferent to the stares pinned at him, Syaoran walked straight to the teacher and quickly explained the whole situation with Sakura being an exchange student and all, handing over the late note he had received from 'Ms. Vulture' in the process. The teacher nodded his head in understanding and smiled warmly at Sakura. Syaoran could already guess the idea running through the minds of his classmates, he disappears for almost a week then comes back with a new girl in tow. He scanned the crowd, his gaze firstly landing in the front row where Yuri sat, wide-eyed and surprised. He gave her a slight nod of recognition and then continued to look around, meeting the eye of everyone who dared to stare at them. Some instantly looked away, focusing their gaze on Sakura instead.

But one pair of eyes met his head on without flinching. How long had he hoped that those azure orbs would look his way again? He had resorted to using women, violence and manipulation but none of those worked. The hatred and disgust she always looked at him with had disappeared and she now smiled at him as if nothing had happened.

Haruna.

Syaoran didn't know how to react or what to say.

He felt Sakura sharply nudge him at his side which shook him out of his stupor. He broke eye-contact with Haruna and looked down at Sakura, disbelief in his eyes.

_Did it really come true?_

Sakura met his eyes, emerald probing his amber ones that had somewhat become soft, glassy and vulnerable. She slightly frowned – Syaoran always managed to look like a retard when it came down to Haruna. What irritated her all the more was that when it came to her, Syaoran felt so unreachable. In the few seconds that he met eyes and connected with Haruna again, Sakura knew she had already lost him.

Their Latin teacher, a pleasant and likeable old man welcomed Sakura in Latin, which she instantly understood. He brightened when he saw the comprehension on her face, "Have you studied Latin before Sakura?"

"Yes, back in France," she replied fluently in Latin, gaining the attention of her classmates all the more.

"Excellent!" the old man exclaimed then turned to Syaoran, "You may go and take your seat Mr. Li."

Syaoran looked at the teacher in confusion, "Japanese please." He'd been doing Latin for a year and a half now and it just didn't click with him. When the teacher repeated what he had said in Japanese with a sigh, Syaoran nodded his head and walked to his chair. It was on the far right corner, by the window, on the same row as Yuri. Haruna sat on the far left corner, her eyes never left him. Down at the front, Yuri had turned in her chair and followed his back with her possessive hazel eyes.

From the front, Sakura herself followed him with her own eyes, not wanting to meet the dozens of foreign eyes glued to her.

"Why don't you introduce yourself to the class, Sakura?" the teacher asked, giving her another warm smile, "In Latin of course."

She forced a smile and faced the strangers in front of her, "Hi everyone, my name is Sakura Kinomoto and I am originally from France. I will be staying here until the end of the year, that's when my exchange program is going to end. Syaoran is my host during my stay here in Japan and so I'm currently staying at his residence." She bowed humbly, "It is nice to meet you all."

Some students smiled back at her, others who were in the same boat as Syaoran looked at her in confusion, it seemed that she spoke too quickly. A few looked down at her in irritation, they understood her fully and knew she was a threat. Haruna completely ignored her as she had her eyes focused only at Syaoran while a particular girl at the front of the room looked at her as if she was going to eat Sakura alive. Yuri glared at Sakura with her dark, angry hazel eyes. _Why does this bimbo get to live with Syaoran? _

"That was excellent!" the teacher praised, instantly liking his new student, "You can go and sit over there to the left. There's a spare chair there beside Ms. Haruna Tsukiyo."

Sakura almost tripped at the mention of the name. She even saw Syaoran slightly flinch at what he had just heard. She beamed at the old man and walked along the aisles, making her way to her new chair.

Haruna looked the same as she remebered seeing her last, only this time, her long, straight dark hair was let loose and framed her face perfectly.

Haruna turned to look at Sakura when she settled on her chair, "Hey, you're the one Syaoran was with in the grocery that time weren't you?"

"Ah, yeh," Sakura replied uneasily, "How have you been?" Stupid Syaoran didn't even tell her that his ex-girlfriend attended his school.

Haruna giggled, "I know what you're thinking. How can a check-out chick get into a school like this right?"

Sakura cocked her head and looked at Haruna, surprised more than anything at her warm and pleasant attitude. The first time they had met, Haruna had been cold, distant and even to Sakura, quite rude. The Haruna that sat beside her was different this time – this was the Haruna that Syaoran fell in-love with.

'I WISH... I WANT HER... TO BE LIKE BEFORE... WHEN SHE FIRST FELL IN LOVE WITH ME. I WANT HER BACK...'

Sakura didn't understand it at first but now she understood. This was what Syaoran had wanted; this was the Haruna that he had wanted back.

"I guess Syaoran didn't tell you huh?" Haruna said pleasantly, "I'm on a scholarship here."

_No, in fact he didn't tell me a damn thing. This is bound to get really messy..._

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**A/N:** woohoo I'm on a roll :D ahem. I mean, it's really really great to be back. I'm sorry if I've confused anyone, hopefully, Syaoran's wish has been cleared up now. A lot of you guessed it right! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you for all your support. Writing makes me happy and its such a bonus that you guys actually wanna read all this crap that I write. thank you so much.

Again, all reviews, suggestions, comments are greatly appreciated. spread the love! s2 s2 s2

-koiishii-


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